Pokemon: A Champion's Favor
by StartersoverLegends
Summary: It seems that everything is going wrong for Lucas. When his chance at beginning his Pokemon journey is snatched from him once again, he decides that life is unfair- but life has a funny way of proving him wrong, as a beautiful Pokemon champion takes a liking to him. Now her assistant and apprentice, he must deal with his feelings all while learning to be a trainer. (CynthiaXLucas)
1. A Chance Meeting with Cynthia

**It has been four long years since I've written for Pokémon, but I have returned!**

**Hello there, and thank you for checking out my story. I've noticed that Cynthia (best girl) isn't written about as much as some of the other Pokémon characters, so I thought I'd help to change that. Pairing her with Lucas seems even rarer, which I don't totally understand since Lucas is a blank slate of a character. Anyway, I guess this pairing is called Jocastashipping? I'm a bit rusty on my shipping nomenclature, so if I'm wrong, please forgive me!**

**Some quick notes- This is an AU that takes place somewhere between the anime and games, with an independent timeline. This won't be as plot-centric as my other stories, as I wanted to write something more... I dunno, fun and lighthearted? Not that there won't be plot, but I'm not going to weave anything too elaborate. The main focus of this fic will revolve around Lucas and Cynthia's relationship. Rated M just in case!**

_Italics - _thoughts

_'Italics in apostrophes' - _telepathic communication

**I won't linger on backstory too much in the first chapter, since I'd like to get straight into the thick of things.**

**With all that said, please enjoy chapter 1 of _Pokémon: A Champion's Favor_!**

* * *

The rock flung from his hand, coasting over the smooth surface of the lake before finally skimming the water. The result was a successful skip- the first of a long chain as the stone hopped about atop the water, sending small ripples about in every direction before finally sinking below the surface.

Lucas' deep grey eyes watched the pebble disappear into the pinks and oranges of the lake's reflection. It was sunset, after all, and the sight of the sky being mirrored by the water created a magnificent sight. Any other day he would have marveled at the sheer beauty of his favorite getaway… But not after what happened today.

The young man sighed and muttered under his breath as he bent down for another projectile. Normally he would scour the shore for the perfect shape and weight, looking to maximize the distance of his throw. Now, however, he simply didn't care enough to do so. He grabbed the first pebble his fingertips grazed and immediately got into position to hurl it. With a grunt of exertion he launched the object, watching with an unamused expression as it splooshed into the water without much of a show.

He stared at the small wake that he had made in the water as he let out a long exhale through his nose. It was nice to be here in this clearing, this sanctuary on the outskirts of his hometown. Few people knew about the pond, and even fewer cared to visit it. After all, Twinleaf Town was famous for bordering one of Sinnoh's great lakes. Why, then, would anyone bother with a place like this?

Lucas fell into a sit while still staring out over the pond. The kricketune were weeping with beautifully somber melodies while their young contributed their own songs. Starly and staravia called out to one another from the trees above, and the occasional sound of a magikarp splashing made the clearing a very serene place to be. Whenever he was stressed out or had some thinking to do, the young man always found himself back here.

A cool evening breeze fanned across the lake, sending a shiver up his arms as he pulled his blue jacket closer to his body. This minor discomfort was hardly noticed, though- his thoughts were elsewhere.

Today was the day that the youth of his village were given their starter pokemon, an invaluable partner that would help make their dreams of becoming a trainer a reality. Lucas, like everyone else in his village, was eager to begin his pokemon journey. It was a right of passage of sorts for kids in the Sinnoh region, after all. With it, they were given their very own pokemon and the freedom to explore the world. It was an incredibly exciting time…

Unless you weren't chosen.

Generally you were given your first pokemon at the age of ten. However, with Twinleaf being as small as it was, the inhabitants and local professor decided to wait until all the kids within a reasonable age group hit that milestone, then send them all off at once. Even Lucas was unsure as to why they would go about things this way, though if he had to guess it had to do with the idea of safety in numbers. Sending a lot of new trainers out at once meant that they could rely on each other, at least until they had enough strength or experience to watch out for themselves.

There were around a dozen kids from the village who were now old enough to embark on their own journeys. Lucas was among the oldest, as he had recently turned sixteen, and the youngest were naturally ten. It was shaping up to be a promising start to his career as a pokemon trainer- until the bad news came.

Apparently it had been a rough year for breeders across the Sinnoh region. Egg yields were low and demand was high as pokemon training was a highly popular profession. Most of the starter pokemon from these breeders were sent to places with the highest population; big cities like Jubilife, Oreburgh, and Veilstone. From there the remaining pokemon were distributed amongst the other villages and towns scattered across the region. Unfortunately, in what was a rare and extremely disheartening turn of events, there simply weren't enough starters to go around.

Lucas' name had been pulled out of a hat, though it was anything but lucky. That draw was to determine the one kid from Twinleaf who wouldn't be starting their adventure this year. When the mayor of his hometown read out his name in front of the locals, Lucas felt his heart drop. He had waited six long years to meet his starter, to leave his town, to begin his life as a trainer, and now it seemed that even more waiting was in store. He was devastated.

The trouble didn't end there, though. While everyone at his school had been showing off their starters with pride, Lucas was forced to watch from the sidelines. His two best friends, Dawn and Barry, had been sympathetic and let Lucas play with _their_ pokemon for a bit. It was a nice gesture, but somehow it didn't make him feel better.

Of course, wherever there is a yin there is also a yang. Lucas, like just about any person growing up, also had his fair share of bullies. When they had flaunted their new partners in front of him he had tried to walk away- only to be forcibly stopped and confronted. Lucas wasn't the argumentative type, and always thought that the only type of fighting that should be used to settle a dispute was through a pokemon battle. His bullies, however, didn't share the same sentiment.

Before long things got violent, as Lucas shoved a kid away who had been severely violating his personal space. The result was a three-on-one fight, as two boys held Lucas down while the third took to repeatedly hitting him. Most of the punches were gut shots, though he did receive one firm blow to his left cheek. Somehow that wasn't enough. It was only when the head bully released his pokemon from its pokeball that Lucas realized how dire the situation was.

Luckily, just before things could escalate any further, Dawn and Barry had come running with a teacher in tow. The group that had antagonized Lucas all claimed that he had started it and, seeing as there were no witnesses to see how the commotion began, everyone was let off with a warning- a bruised Lucas included.

Normally under these circumstances there would be someone in the victim's corner. His parents would speak with the bullies' parents, or even escalate matters to the schoolboard if need be. At the very least they would provide a place for him to vent his frustrations or receive advice from. Unfortunately for Lucas, though, he had no such resource.

He was an orphan.

It happened when he was eight years old. His parents, who had been archeology buffs, had gone off with some friends from the trade to investigate a new dig site near the west side of Mt. Coronet. Lucas had stayed with Dawn and her mother, Johanna, who was a very close friend to his own parents. It was a few days after they left that a man had appeared at Johanna's doorstep, a somber look on his face.

He told them about an incident that had taken place at the dig site. A terrorist organization going by the name of Team Galactic had attacked the party amid their investigations. According to the man they were after an artifact that had been found at the site, a strange orb that tied into ancient Sinnoh mythology. Their orders were to retrieve the orb without hurting anyone, but… Something had gone wrong.

Amid the casualties, Lucas' parents had died during the struggle.

The young man stared out over the lake with an expression that saddened when he remembered his mother and father. They were wise, kind people who had always encouraged his dreams of becoming a pokemon trainer. Of course he grieved over their deaths for a very long time, and to this day missed them often. However, they had always taught him not to let the negativity in life ruin his worldview. They had often said that life was a beautiful thing, something to be cherished and learned from. Although it was difficult to hold that view after they had passed, he still tried very hard to keep a positive outlook.

Things could certainly be worse. Johanna had taken him under her wing after the incident with Team Galactic, and tried very hard to raise him as if he were her own. Dawn was like a sister to him, and even Barry's parents were often around for Lucas. It warmed his heart, but somehow it could never replace _his_ parents. Not that he ever told anyone in his town that, but it was true nonetheless.

Before he knew it, the young man had stood up again and hastily grabbed another rock. He chucked it out over the lake as hard as he could, grunting in exertion as he did so. Once it had sunk, he grabbed another. Then another.

He wasn't ungrateful, nor was he the type to wallow in self-pity. However, it just felt like the misfortune, the disappointment, the _pain_ was continuously piling up on his shoulders. He studied hard and tried to be nice to everyone. He did extra chores around the house to pay Johanna back for taking care of him, and wanted nothing more than to make everyone proud by becoming a world-class trainer. Despite how hard he tried, however, it seemed there was always something in his way. He didn't want to rob someone else from their chance to begin their adventure, but why was it that _his_ name had to be drawn? Why was _he_ the one that the bullies liked to pick on? Why did _his_ parents have to die?

With a pained expression Lucas lobbed more and more rocks into the calm water, each one larger than the last.

Focus on the good.

_I want to, but it's just-_

Don't let negativity ruin your worldview.

_I'm trying, I really am!_

Life is a beautiful thing.

_How can you say that-_

"-When everything is so _unfair_!?"

As the last word tore from his throat in a pained cry, he chucked the largest rock he could lift into the lake. Between his sudden shouting and the giant splash that resulted from the action, every pokemon in the area fell silent. All that remained was the echoing of what he had said as it bounced back from the woods that surrounded him.

Lucas stood there for several moments, his shoulders heaving with ragged breaths as he stared at the small waves that now lapped at his feet. Before long a series of light dinks joined the sound of the wash as hot tears converged on his chin before detaching and falling into the lake water below.

It was just a bad day, not a bad life. He knew that, but he had to get these feelings out somehow. At that moment Lucas was just happy that he had a secluded place where he could be completely alone.

With one last sigh Lucas figured he should start heading back home. He had come to the lake directly after school, after all, and by now Dawn had probably told Johanna all about the scuffle he had with the bullies earlier. She would be worried about him, no doubt. With that as his motive he turned and began walking back toward the woods in the direction of a nearby trail. He made it a few steps with his eyes trained on the ground before him before he looked up. No sooner had he done so, he practically jumped out of his skin.

There was a woman in the clearing with him, her back leaning against a tree as her arms were crossed in his direction. One of her knees was raised so that the sole of her foot could also rest against the tree, giving her an incredibly casual appearance. She wore all black, her outfit comprising of a flowing black overcoat with dark fur on the cuffs, neck, and tail, along with two grey buttons over her breasts. Beneath the coat she wore a tight V-neck along with dark dress pants and black shoes. The outfit was so monotone that it risked going overboard, though she made it work for her.

Her skin, unlike her choice in clothing, was so light that it nearly glowed in the evening sun. The one eye of hers that Lucas could see was a steely grey color, far lighter than his own eyes. The other was concealed behind her blonde hair, which covered the left side of her face before curling forward at the base of her neck. The rest of her hair tumbled down her back in a slightly unkempt wave, though it was kept strikingly neat near the top. This could have been due to the four teardrop-shaped ornaments that adorned her head, two of them behind each of her ears. Like her outfit, these were also jet black- in fact, the only part of her ensemble that wasn't completely dark was the large teardrop-shaped stone that hung from a loose chain around her neck.

Overall she had a very fair face, and her physique was fitting of a supermodel: relatively tall and slender. For a brief moment Lucas couldn't help but wonder what someone like her was doing in the middle of the woods.

His eyes met her own as she gave him a coy smile, her gaze friendly and relaxed.

A small blush spread across the young man's cheeks as he realized that she very well could have witnessed his outburst. Quickly raising a fist and wiping his face clear of tears, he gave her a polite smile and nod as he meant to walk by. However, he couldn't pass her before she stopped him with a word.

"Wait,"

Lucas froze in place and turned to her. "Can I help you with something, miss?"

She brought a finger to her chin in thought as she eyed him carefully. "Maybe. Would you happen to be from around here?"

Her voice was inviting and calm, with a layer of maturity even though the mannerisms were a bit girlish. Overall, if Lucas had to describe it with words, he would call it "warm".

"Uh- yeah. I live in Twinleaf, just down the road a ways."

Her eyes lit up as her smile grew. "Perfect! I'm on my way to lake Verity and could use some help finding my way. I'm not from around here, and it's getting a tad dark out. Would you care to escort me?"

Lucas immediately nodded, though he didn't know why. Usually if a stranger you met in the woods asked you to go somewhere with them, it would warrant a bit of forethought. This woman, however… Something about her just exuded trustworthiness. She seemed earnest and confident, and for some reason also had this powerful presence about her- a type of aura that Lucas had yet to encounter.

Her eyes closed as she tilted her head at him. "Well then, let's get going, shall we?"

"Right…"

With that Lucas led the woman through the woods until they met the aforementioned trail. The whole while they walked, Lucas pondered how she wound up in the clearing with him. After all, if she was on her way to lake Verity then this path would pretty much lead her straight there. Not to mention, her clothes didn't show any signs of being disturbed by the foliage. That ruled out the possibility that she just happened to be hiking by…

"You're probably wondering how I found you, is that it?" She suddenly asked, smiling as she walked beside him.

Lucas was surprised for a moment, but nodded. "Yeah… Usually nobody else goes out there but me."

"That's a shame, it was a lovely spot." She replied, "Though it's certainly nice to have a place where you can be alone."

He nodded again. "So how did you wind up there if you were on your way to the lake?"

Once again she raised a finger to her chin. "I suppose it was just being in the right place at the right time. I was following this path when I heard splashing coming from the woods. I was curious, so I took a slight detour. What I found… Was you."

His face grew pink again. Now it was certain that she had witnessed his outburst.

"So, do you have a name?" She asked casually, as if she hadn't seen him screaming into the woods like a maniac. In a way he actually appreciated that.

"Yeah, I'm Lucas." He answered.

"Lucas from Twinleaf Town, huh?" She asked before giggling, "That has a nice ring to it!"

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Thanks. How about you?"

"Oh, right. I'm Cynthia," She began before winking at him, "I was raised in Celestic Town, but don't ask me where I live now. It's a secret."

He gave her a mischievous grin. "Somehow that makes me want to know even more."

She giggled but shook her head. "Nuh uh. It would be wise to give up now."

Lucas sighed. "Fine. Dawn always told me that girls should be allowed to have their secrets."

"Dawn sounds like a very smart girl," Cynthia answered with a wink, "Is she your girlfriend?"

The question caught Lucas so off guard that he nearly choked on his own spit. As he was sputtering and coughing with a spreading blush, Cynthia laughed.

"I guess not, then."

"Yeah, definitely not," Lucas said once he had calmed down, "She's like a sister to me… I mean, I guess she _is_ my sister in a way."

"How so?"

"Well…" Lucas again brought his hand to the back of his neck and averted his eyes from Cynthia.

She was a total stranger to him and yet, somehow, he felt the urge to tell her more about himself. Was this the power of beautiful women? No… It was more than that. She just seemed like a good listener, someone you could really open up to. Not to mention, she looked like she was older than him. Maybe she could relate to his troubles on some level, or at least understand them.

"My parents… Aren't around anymore. I mean, they died eight years ago."

Her relaxed eyes widened a bit, but he continued before she could say anything.

"They were out on an expedition when Team Galactic showed up… Anyway, Dawn's mom was really close friends with my parents. She took me in immediately, so Dawn and I have been living under the same roof for half my life."

"I see…" Cynthia replied, "I'm very sorry to hear about that."

Lucas let out a dry chuckle, forcing himself to smile at her. "It's okay. I mean, that was a long time ago, right? And Johanna takes good care of me, so I can't complain."

Cynthia hummed before turning to face the path in front of them.

"You might not believe me," She began, "But I don't see my parents anymore either."

Now it was Lucas' turn to be surprised. "Really? Why not?"

Her steely eyes turned serious. "We don't know. They were investigating a place called Sendoff Spring, far to the east. For one reason or another they never came back."

"Sendoff Spring…" Lucas echoed, "I've never heard of that place."

"I'm not surprised," She continued as her eyes shifted to again look at him, "It's pretty well hidden and not many people have been there. The legend is that Sendoff Spring is where departed souls go to find the afterlife."

"Wow…"

She smiled. "Mm hm. It's an interesting place. I've been there myself countless times, but I could never find any trace of my parents. Just a camcorder that they dropped along the way."

"Sorry to hear that," Lucas said as his eyes fell to the path in front of them.

Cynthia shook her head, the adornments in her blonde hair bouncing. "I still have hope that I'll find my parents someday. And besides, I only told you that story because I want you to know that I've been there too. It's difficult to lose your parents, I know that. So please don't pretend like you're okay if you're hurting. Nobody will get upset with you for taking your time."

He slowly looked back over at her, and when he did, she closed her eyes and smiled at him. He nodded and smiled back, this time for real.

Before long the two reached the entrance to the lake. It was getting dark at this point, with only the faintest sliver of fiery sunlight cascading over the treetops. The forest was dark around them, but the water reflected a deep shade of maroon. At this point in the day any tourists or local recreationalists had gone home, leaving the duo alone.

"It's breathtaking," Cynthia breathed as she looked out over the lake with a smile, "This alone was worth the trip."

She brought a hand up to her forehead and squinted as she scanned her eyes over the lake, pausing once she saw a protruding rock formation in the distance.

"There it is, Lucas," She said as she pointed at the structure, "The Verity Cavern: one of the great wonders of the Sinnoh region."

Lucas nodded as he studied the distant cave. "A lot of people travel here just to see it. Not very many actually go inside, though."

She hummed before turning to him. "Have you?"

Lucas shook his head. "It's too far of a swim and nobody in town has a boat. Not one that I would trust with my life, anyway."

She smiled. "Would you _like_ to?"

"Yeah, I'd like to see the inside someday." He answered, "I've lived near it all this time and always wondered what it was like."

Cynthia suddenly clapped her hands together, a close-eyed smile on her face. "Then it's settled! You'll accompany me to the island, and we'll explore it together."

Lucas stared at her in shock. "You mean… Right now?"

She nodded at him, her expression unwavering.

"But how will we get there?" He asked as he looked back and forth from the woman in front of him to her destination, "You don't have a boat, and-"

"Who said anything about a boat?" She asked with a wink, "I know a way that's even faster and more fun."

Before he could ask her what she meant, Cynthia reached into her overcoat and retrieved a pokeball. Clicking the button in the center, the marble sized device grew so that it fit snugly into the palm of her hand. Lucas stared in astonishment as she tossed the ball over the lake, though before the expensive capsule could reach the water it popped open, spewing a torrent of bright light that materialized into a pokemon. As the ball returned to Cynthia, Lucas stared in awe at the creature that had been released.

It was a large, serpentine pokemon with glistening multicolored scales. The front of the creature was a creamy tan color, while its tail alternated between plates of baby blue and magenta. The tip of its tail ended in a fan of bladelike fins, also blue and magenta in color. This in itself was stunning, though the true majesty was found on the pokemon's head. Like Cynthia's necklace, its head was a teardrop shape with long, flowing appendages that sprouted from above its large black eyes.

"No way," Lucas breathed as he stared at the gorgeous pokemon, "Is that a milotic? I've only heard of these!"

Cynthia giggled, then kneeled down and pulled the miltoic's neck into a gentle hug. As she stroked its neck the water type let out a soft coo of happiness.

"It sure is," She answered, "And this gorgeous girl is going to be our ticket to the Cavern."

Lucas had heard of water pokemon ferrying people across rivers and lakes before, but had never done so himself. He couldn't help but be a bit nervous about the whole thing, even as the two looked at him with expectant eyes.

"You ready?" Cynthia asked as she stood and planted her hands on her hips.

Lucas rubbed the back of his head as he avoided her eye contact. "Well… It's just that I didn't bring any swimming trunks, and I don't really want to get my clothes wet."

"Not a problem," Cynthia replied with a snap of her finger, "I'll let you ride on Milotic's neck above the water. I'll just hold onto her tail and let her pull me there."

Before Lucas could respond, Cynthia shed her large overcoat and set the garment neatly on the ground before reaching for the bottom of her shirt. As she began to lift the fabric, exposing her smooth white skin to the evening light, Lucas' eyes went wide and he quickly covered them, an apparent warmth spreading through his cheeks. A moment passed before Cynthia giggled.

"Silly boy. You can look, you know."

Lucas hesitantly parted the fingers over his right eye, not knowing what to expect. However, he couldn't help but feel foolish when he saw Cynthia smiling at him with a teal blue bikini on.

"I wore these under my other clothes since I knew I'd be getting in the water," She explained as she turned to look back at the lake. "It looks like the Verity Cavern is just as far out as the other caves were. That means it should only take us a few minutes to get over there."

"I-Is that so?" Lucas asked. Although he was trying to follow Cynthia's line of sight out to the island, he couldn't keep his eyes from flickering back to her body. Just as he thought, she was in _very_ good physical shape, with flawless skin and proportions that made it seem like she belonged in a museum somewhere.

"Mm Hm," She answered before turning to face him again, "She's not the fastest aquatic pokemon out there, but she's far from being a slowpoke. So what do you say? Will you join me?"

Lucas scratched his head in thought, but really couldn't think of any reason to reject her offer. Of course he would have to explain to Johanna why he was out so late, but that was a small price to pay if it meant he could finally see the local hotspot.

_Besides,_ he thought, _I would like to spend more time with this woman._

With a smile, he nodded at her. "Absolutely!"

She smiled back and made to hop into the water but paused before doing so. "Oh right, I shouldn't leave my belongings unguarded."

She bent over and began rifling through her coat again, finally fishing out another pokeball and tossing it into the air. The ball released its inhabitant with a flash of light, revealing a pokemon that Lucas immediately recognized.

It was a lucario, a bipedal foxlike pokemon that stood a few heads short of Cynthia. It had blue fur with black bands, along with a tan abdomen. Steel spikes jutted from its hands and chest, and its intense red eyes were immediately drawn to Lucas.

"A lucario!" Lucas couldn't help but exclaim as his eyes lit up with awe, "I can't believe you have one of these!"

Cynthia giggled and patted Lucario on the head, reassuring it that Lucas wasn't a threat. "It's true that these guys are pretty hard to come by. Luckily I have a good friend who breeds them, and he entrusted me with a riolu egg. I've raised it into the handsome pokemon you see before you."

"That's incredible," Lucas breathed, "I've heard that they can read minds- is that true?"

Cynthia giggled again as Lucario's stern expression eased into a smile. "Not quite. However, they're very in tune with aura. Within moments a lucario can judge the general power and emotional state of nearby living creatures."

As Lucas continued to fawn over the famous pokemon, Cynthia kneeled down and looked it in the eyes. "I'm taking Lucas here to the cave in the center of the lake. While I'm gone I want you to keep a close eye on my stuff, okay?"

Lucario immediately agreed, planting a hand over its chest as it bowed its head dutifully. Cynthia smiled and ruffled the space between its ears again before turning to Lucas.

"Alright, let's get going!"

Lucas nodded, and Milotic extended her neck over the shore so that he could climb on. It was clumsy and awkward at first, but before long Lucas had positioned himself comfortably on Milotic's back. Meanwhile Cynthia dove into the lake with all the grace of a swanna, surfacing a moment later and shaking the wet hair out of her face. Miraculously her hair still covered her left eye once she emerged.

In order for Milotic to propel itself, it needed the end of its tail to be free. That meant that Cynthia had to hold on to its lower back, near where Lucas was. He was a bit surprised when she wrapped one of her arms around him before giving him a warm smile.

"I hope this doesn't make you claustrophobic," She said, to which Lucas shook his head vigorously. Even if his clothes got a little damp from her arm, he was still being kept surprisingly dry.

Cynthia smiled at him, then patted Milotic's neck. "Please take us to the island, Milotic."

The gorgeous pokemon cooed in response before slowly fanning its tail, sending them on their way at a comfortable speed. As the shore receded behind them, Lucas took in his current situation. He had met a mysterious trainer who happened to have really rare, really powerful pokemon. She had offered to take him somewhere he had always wanted to visit, and now he was on the back of a milotic as the sun set on the woods around him. It was a bit chilly out, bringing into question how Cynthia was able to remain in the water without any sign of discomfort, but otherwise it was a nearly perfect moment.

"Lucas," Cynthia suddenly said, breaking him from his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"Don't think that bruise on your cheek has gotten past me," She began as her relaxed grey eye smiled into his own, "I know it's not my business to pry, but does that injury have anything to do with why you were crying earlier?"

His eyes widened before he looked away with grit teeth. "It left a mark, huh?"

"It did."

He sighed. Deep down he had hoped that she wouldn't bring his earlier breakdown up, but somehow he was also glad that she did. Maybe this would be a good opportunity to let some of that emotion out.

"I got into it with some bullies at school earlier," He began, "There were three of them, and… Well, I was the only one who got hurt."

"I see," She murmured without looking away, "And what was this fight about?"

"It was about pokemon."

"Pokemon?" She echoed, "I thought that pokemon were for fighting beside, not about."

"I thought so too," He agreed, "But… Well, not everyone in my town could get a pokemon this year. I've been waiting to get mine for six whole years, yet everyone else got one but me. I _hate_ it."

Silence fell over the lake. Cynthia gazed at his hurt expression for a long moment before looking away, humming to herself.

"I've heard about how breeders are struggling this year. I'm sorry to hear that you were one of those affected." When Lucas didn't answer after a moment, she continued. "Is that what you were referring to when you said that everything was unfair?"

He nodded. "I don't mean to seem ungrateful for what I have, but… I just want something to go my way for once. I thought that getting my first pokemon would be the chance to turn my luck around and make something of myself. Now I have to wait a whole year to get started, and by then everyone in my class- those bullies included- will have so much more experience than me. It just doesn't seem fair at all…"

Once he had trailed off Cynthia eyed him carefully for a second. "Lucas, what are pokemon to you?"

He quickly turned to face her again. "What do you mean?"

"A lot of people have different opinions on what pokemon are," She clarified, "Some see them as partners, while others think of them as weapons. Things to battle, to groom, or to bond with. What do _you_ think about pokemon?"

He lowered his eyes with thought. As he did so he ran his hand over the cool, slick neck of the milotic they were riding on.

"I think…" He began after a long moment, "That pokemon are unique. You could look all over the world, but I don't think you'd find two who were completely alike. I think there's a lot to learn from them, and to teach them as well. I guess that, to me, I'd think of them as partners. Irreplaceable friends. You could battle them or compete with them, but at the end of the day it's about the bond you have with them."

He rubbed the back of his head as he gave Cynthia a sheepish grin. "Though I don't have my own pokemon yet, so what do I know?"

She giggled. "I think you know more than you think. So let me ask you another question: why do you want to begin your journey as a pokemon trainer? What's the rush?"

"It's difficult to explain," He admitted, "But ever since I was young I've wanted a pokemon of my own. When I got older I thought that becoming a trainer would be a lot of fun. The idea of growing alongside a team of pokemon really excited me, and I loved seeing the passion that people battled with when I watched them compete. But there's even more to it than that… I want to explore. I want to learn new things. I want to travel around the world and meet all different kinds of pokemon and people alike. When I think about doing all of those amazing things, I just can't wait to get started."

He paused to look into Cynthia's eyes, a passionate fire raging behind his dark irises while he spoke. She recognized that fire immediately. How could she not? After all, that determined ambition had once been her own.

"Anyway, I guess that's how it is." He concluded with a chuckle.

She stared at him with slightly widened eyes for a moment before relaxing into a smile with a hum.

"I think that's a wonderful ambition," She said after a moment had passed, "No matter what life throws at you, I hope you'll hold on to that."

He nodded confidently. "I will!"

She shot him a sideways glance. "By the way, you mentioned that you like watching people compete. Do you happen to have a television?"

He nodded. "Of course. Why do you ask?"

She giggled before turning her head to face the approaching island. "No reason."

Lucas thought it was weird of her to ask such a random question, but shook it off as they had almost reached their destination. Before long Milotic sidled up along the shore of the island, allowing her passengers to step onto it.

"Thank you for your hard work," Cynthia said as she gave her pokemon an affectionate scratch, "Please wait for us here until we get back."

Milotic nodded happily, so the two turned for the cave. Despite the rock formation being relatively small, little more than a craggy beach surrounding a jutting stone structure, the entrance to the cave was surprisingly large. The duo entered the cavern without any issue, and once they had descended several yards, they were met with an empty chamber.

"Interesting… The ground is completely level here." Cynthia thought aloud as she took a sweeping look around, "It's in keeping with the other lakes… Could they have been manmade?"

With a hum she crossed to a nearby wall and began inspecting the inscriptions carved into it. While she did so Lucas took a few steps into the center of the room, trying to savor his first visit to such a historically significant location. There was just enough light from above to illuminate the area, allowing him to observe the artwork and ancient glyphs that adorned the interior as he walked.

_Splash!_

Lucas took a quick step back as he felt his foot sink into shallow water. He groaned when he realized that his right foot was completely soaked, drawing Cynthia's attention. She chuckled quietly to herself before turning for the wall again.

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you. These caves all have a design imprinted on the floor, and they tend to hold whatever rainwater makes its way inside."

Lucas sighed as he kicked the front of his shoe against the stone floor, trying to rid it of excess water. So much for his first memory of the place.

'_Don't let something that small ruin your mood,_' A small voice came from behind him.

Lucas immediately spun around, his eyes wide, but found nothing there.

_That was strange_, he thought after a moment of staring into space, _I could have sworn that I heard someone just then…_

"Say, Lucas," Cynthia began as she ran her fingers over a deep etching of what seemed to be a pokemon, "Do you know what the significance of this cave is?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, isn't this supposed to be where Mesprit lives?"

"Very good," She replied, "I guess that should be expected of someone who lives nearby. Do you know much about Mesprit?"

He nodded as he walked further into the cave, avoiding the shallow reservoirs of water that decorated the floor.

"Yeah. It's a legendary pokemon, right?"

'_Aw, you're gonna make me blush…_'

Again Lucas whipped around toward the sound, but once again found nothing when he did so. As he scratched his head in confusion Cynthia continued.

"That's right. Mesprit is part of a trio of pokemon that play a big role in the mythology of Sinnoh."

Shaking the voice from his thoughts, Lucas spoke up again. "Oh yeah, aren't the other two Uxie and Azelf?"

Cynthia turned from the wall to smile at him. "That's correct! You definitely know your stuff, don't you?"

He chuckled sheepishly. "I don't know about that. My parents were really into mythology and stuff, so a lot of that knowledge was handed down to me."

"I see," She replied, "So then, what else can you tell me about Mesprit?"

He hummed. "Well, it's the being of emotion."

'_At your service_.'

He turned his head to the left after the voice, but no luck.

"What else?"

"Oh, um… It's often depicted as a red fairy, while Uxie is yellow and Azelf is blue."

'_Red always __**was**__ my favorite color_…'

This time the voice came from his right. He quickly looked over, but still found nothing.

'_Heehee, you're fun!_'

"Tell me, Lucas, are you familiar with the creation myth?" Cynthia asked as she casually walked to the next stretch of wall, ignorant to Lucas' situation.

"A little bit," He admitted while looking around relentlessly for the voice that continued to giggle in his head, "I know about how Arceus supposedly created Dialga and Palkia to form time and space, as well as a third pokemon called Giratina, but I don't know the rest."

Cynthia hummed. "There's a lot of speculation regarding how Giratina ties into the creation, but you're right. According to ancient accounts like these, Arceus created three deities to rule over time, space, and some third plane. At some point after that it created three other pokemon; Azelf, the being of willpower- Uxie, the being of wisdom- and Mesprit, the being of emotion."

"They also came from the same egg, didn't they?" He asked.

'_Come on, don't lump me in with those two~_'

This time the voice had come from directly above him, and Lucas traced it so quickly that he nearly fell backward.

"That's what some believe, yes." Cynthia answered, "Fun fact: the origin of that rumor can be found in the northern stretches of Mt. Coronet, where it is written that three spirits emerged at once and departed to the furthest stretches of Sinnoh."

"Huh…" Lucas replied before turning toward her, "Hey Cynthia, do you hear… Something weird in here?"

"Whatever could you mean?" She asked as she tilted her head at an image etched into the wall.

"I mean, do you hear that voice too? Or is it just me?"

"A voice..?" She echoed before suddenly turning to face him, "Wait, you mean you're hearing something _right now_?"

"Well, not at this very moment," He responded while rubbing the back of his head, "But ever since we got here I've been hearing someone talking to me."

She stared at him for a moment in surprise before shaking her head. "No, it can't be..."

"What? What's going on?" He asked, growing uneasy with the knowledge that only he could hear this voice.

"It could be nothing," She replied as she turned back toward the wall, "But who knows? Some legends say that Mesprit is the most likely to interact with humans- especially if the person in question harbors strong emotions."

"Strong emotions…" He echoed, his eyes lowering as he brought a finger to his chin in thought. He briefly recalled his day up until he met Cynthia- between the disappointment of not getting his own pokemon, the pain that the bullies had caused him, and how badly he missed his parents, it had been a rough day for the young man. Could it be that-

'_No, no! You're far too negative!_'

He spun around like he had countless times before, and honestly didn't expect to find anything this time, either- so when he was suddenly face-to-face with a pokemon he had never seen before, Lucas cried out in surprise and fell backward onto the cave floor.

While he winced in pain the small pokemon floated until its face was inches away from his, its bright golden eyes boring into his own as they widened in surprise.

'_It's okay to feel down in the dumps, Lucas, but you have to balance it out!_' The voice in his head scolded, _'Think about your friends! Your ambitions! Remember each of your hopes and dreams! You can't let yourself spiral into despair!'_

"U-Uh, Cynthia?" Lucas cried out as he crawled backwards away from the tiny pokemon, but stopped when his back met one of her legs. Unbeknownst to him she had walked over and was now watching the mystery pokemon with a friendly smile.

"So my hunch was correct," She spoke in a warm tone, "It's nice to meet you, Mesprit."

"Mesprit?" Lucas asked in shock as he looked back and forth from Cynthia to the levitating pokemon.

'_Ah, boo. I guess I've been found out_.' The voice in his head said as the pokemon shrugged, '_Oh, well. I can tell that neither of you have come here to hurt me, so I suppose it's alright_.'

With a sudden backflip, the pokemon distanced itself from them by a few feet- something that Lucas appreciated, as it had been invading his personal space up until that point. From this distance he could better observe the creature.

It was an incredibly small fairylike pokemon that hovered a few feet off the ground. Its body was a bluish grey, with tiny arms and legs as well as two tails with leaflike fans on the end of them. In the center of each fan was a round red crystal, similar to the one it had between its large golden eyes. Its head was a light magenta color, with four appendages that fell to its shoulders like hair.

"I knew from experience that the lake trio were secretive pokemon who rarely show themselves to humans," Cynthia began as Lucas picked himself up an dusted his jeans off, "However, there was some evidence to show that you, Mesprit, would appear if certain conditions were met. When I was reading the runes that line this cave, it became clear to me that it was a distinct possibility you were already here with us."

Mesprit tilted its head at Cynthia, a small smile on its face. '_Oh? And might I ask how you knew that?_'

"For a while I've heard rumors that you watch over the people who live near your lake," Cynthia answered, "And there were even some accounts of sightings from people who found themselves in a dark place emotionally. When Lucas told me that he had been hearing a voice, I remembered his own emotional state and realized that you were trying to connect with him. I couldn't directly tell him that, though, or else it might cheer him up and you wouldn't show yourself."

'_How clever_,' Mesprit mused, '_Is that why you brought Lucas here today? To bait me?_'

Cynthia shook her head. "Actually, no. I was planning to explore this cave and just happened to find Lucas on my way here."

She turned and winked at him before adding: "Although I guess it's a good thing we met when we did. Otherwise I wouldn't be talking to a living legend right now."

Lucas smiled at her while Mesprit giggled. '_Fate is a funny thing sometimes. Now then, I should really return to my rest. It's a lot of work, keeping the planet emotionally balanced… Is there anything I can help you with before I go_?'

"Actually, yes." Cynthia answered with a smile, "I was wondering if you could tell me anything about Giratina, or the Distortion World."

Mesprit's eyes narrowed. '_You want to know more about the Reverse World? Why would a human possibly want to know about that?_'

"Other than it being inherently interesting, I have business there." Cynthia answered.

Mesprit eyed her carefully for a moment before telepathically sighing. '_I can sense how strongly you feel about this. It must really mean a lot to you.'_

She nodded. "It does."

'_Very well then_,' Mesprit said with a nod, '_But I'm afraid I won't be of much help. You see, I do not know much- only that the entrance lies near Sendoff Spring. If you want to know more specifics, I encourage you to speak with Uxie in the north. They will know much more about it than me, though I must first warn you about Uxie's ability._'

"The memory erasure?" Cynthia asked.

While Lucas' eyes widened in surprise, Mesprit's lit up in recognition. '_Exactly! My, you certainly know a lot about us lake spirits. If I wasn't so flattered, I would almost find it creepy._'

Cynthia giggled. "As I said, this sort of thing is very interesting to me. Legends and mythology run in my blood."

'_I see. Well then, I hope that knowledge will serve you well. If there's nothing else then I really must be going_.'

Cynthia bowed, a smile still playing at the edges of her lips. "Thank you for your help, Mesprit. Sleep well."

Mesprit nodded and began to glow white, but managed to say one last thing before vanishing.

'_Oh, yes. Lucas, please mind what I said earlier. You're allowed to have bad days, but don't let yourself end a day on a bad note. Enjoy life more._'

He quickly bowed to imitate Cynthia. "Thank you Mesprit. I'll remember that."

The pokemon nodded, then became enveloped in white light before disappearing in an instant.

"I see… What a clever pokemon." Cynthia said under her breath as she smirked.

"Oh, you mean how it was able to talk to us?"

"That too," She replied as she began to walk toward the exit of the cave, "Though I suppose that should be expected of a legendary pokemon. No, I was referring to that apparition."

"Apparition? You mean that wasn't the real Mesprit?"

Cynthia shook her head. "No, it was simply a projection of the real Mesprit's form. That voice we heard was the real deal, but it seems it was too cautious to appear in person. Not that I can blame it…"

Even if what he had seen was just a trick, Lucas was still wrapping his head around the fact that he had just met a real legendary pokemon, the same one his parents had taught him so much about. As they exited the cave and were met with the chilly night air, he looked up into the star-filled sky and smiled. Wherever they were, he was sure they were proud of him.

He was broken from his thoughts when Cynthia suddenly gasped and turned to look back into the cave. Lucas shot her a curious glance before doing the same, looking just in time to see two glowing golden eyes silently recede into the darkness.

After a moment had passed, Lucas turned back to Cynthia. "Do you think _that_ was the real Mesprit?"

Cynthia was still staring into the darkness of the cave, her usually relaxed eyes widened a bit in surprise. At hearing his question, however, her eyelids lowered again and she gave him a warm smile.

"I can't be sure. Somehow, though, I think it was." She turned toward Milotic, who was watching them from where she had been waiting at the water's edge.

Once they had once again positioned themselves so that Lucas was dry and Cynthia had an arm around him for stability, they began their journey back to the shore.

"Wow, Lucas, you must be some sort of good luck charm." Cynthia began, "Your first time in a ruin and you've already met a legendary pokemon! That's an incredible honor!"

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "It was nothing special. I just happened to meet the requirements, is all."

She shook her head at him, a smile still on her face. "That's not true. While you are one of those who Mesprit watches over, and it's certainly the case that you've had a rough day, that pokemon went through the trouble of remembering _your_ name."

Lucas hummed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Still, it's not that big of a deal, is it?"

"Oh, but it is," She answered, staring into his eyes. "You must understand that a pokemon like Mesprit has existed since the dawn of time. Do you know how many people have visited Lake Verity since then? And out of all of those people, she knew who _you_ were without an introduction. That's a very big deal, and something you should absolutely take pride in."

He avoided her eyes and tried to hide his blush. After a moment he remembered something and turned to face her again.

"Anyway, how did you know that Mesprit was behind us when we were leaving the cave? I noticed you seemed surprised before you turned around."

Cynthia turned her head to look back at the island that was growing smaller with distance. "Mesprit told me something very important. It was an invaluable bit of advice."

"Really? What was it?"

She giggled but shook her head. "This is one of those 'girl secret' moments. You understand, right?"

"Oh, come on! But I want to know!"

"Nuh uh."

Lucas groaned, and Cynthia's laughing echoed across the lake.

* * *

**I certainly hope you've enjoyed the beginning of this new story! If I didn't make it blatantly obvious with my pen name, profile pic, bio, etc., I am a huge Pokémon fan. It was all I wrote for when I first started on this site, but I got pulled away to write other things. Oh, how I've missed this universe!**

***At the risk of putting the horse in front of the carriage* every time I start a new story I get reviews and PMs telling me to go back to working on my other stuff. I don't mean to come across as mean or anything, but these comments absolutely won't be tolerated. I expect that a lot of people from my FNaF story will be upset that I'm writing something else, but please understand that I have been writing Another Side almost exclusively for FOUR YEARS. I deserve a break. I'm not abandoning my other stories, and I promise that I will go back to working on my other stuff, but for now I'm very excited about this new story. Again, any reviews not relating to this story will be ignored. **

**With that said, thank you so much for reading! If you have a moment to spare, please consider leaving me a review in the box below. Your input is highly appreciated!**

**I hope to see you next chapter ;] **

**-S/L**


	2. A School Day with Cynthia

**Wow, only one chapter in and the support is already incredible! Thank all of you who viewed, followed, or favorited this story!**

**Oh yeah, I forgot to mention it last chapter, but I obviously don't own Pokémon or anything. If I did I'd be way too busy to write stories like this ;]**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Lucas and Cynthia walked side-by-side through the streets of his hometown, their path illuminated only by the porchlights of the houses they passed. As night had descended upon Twinleaf, few people were out- though the streets weren't empty, as zubat fluttered about and the occasional bidoof or glameow could be seen scurrying by.

"What a nice place," Cynthia mused as she looked around with a smile beneath her relaxed grey eyes, "Have you lived here your whole life?"

Lucas nodded. "My parents were actually from Oreburgh but moved here before having me. They thought that it would be better to raise their children out in nature rather than near all those mines."

Cynthia hummed. "You mentioned that they were mythology buffs. Did they by chance work at the Mining Museum there?"

"Yeah, Mom did," He answered, "She was one of their lead archeology researchers. Dad actually worked in the mines all day but visited the Museum a lot. He really liked fossils, so he and mom got along really well."

One of Cynthia's eyes shifted to the boy walking beside her. "That's a lovely story. I wish I could have met them."

Lucas smiled sadly. "They were… Great people."

The pair walked in silence for a few moments before Cynthia changed the subject. "Are you sure it's alright for me to drop in like this? I wouldn't want Johanna to think that I'm imposing on her."

Lucas shook his head, his expression easing. "Not at all! She's always been more than happy to have people over, and it's getting too dark for you to travel anyway."

She chuckled. "I guess you're right. How much further until we get there?"

"It's not very far at all. Just down this hill."

Sure enough, it wasn't long before the two found themselves in front of a modest two-story house. The building was well-kept and quaint, even among the other houses they had passed to reach it. As Lucas led Cynthia to the porch, he noticed that Johanna had left the light on for him. He smiled- she would certainly wonder what he had been up to, and why he had brought this stranger home with him.

_Oh well_, he thought as he reached the door and held up his fist to knock, _I'm sure she'll understand._

With that he rapped his fist on the wood, then stepped back as he heard footsteps approaching from the other side. A moment passed, then Johanna opened the door and smiled at her adoptive son. She had medium length blue hair with a red clip to keep the bangs out of her eyes. She wore a white sweater with an orange apron above blue jeans and house slippers.

"Lucas! I was wondering when you'd come back home. Where have you been, kiddo?"

He chuckled sheepishly. "I just wanted to get out for a bit, I guess. Hey, is it alright if my new friend joins us for dinner? She's not from around here, and I figured-"

As Lucas continued to talk, Johanna's kind blue eyes shifted from him to the woman standing beside him. Cynthia smiled right as Johanna's eyebrows raised with surprise.

"Wait a minute..!" Johanna spoke as she raised a hand to cover her mouth, "You're… Y-You're-"

"Hello, there." Cynthia said with a close-eyed smile, "I'm Cynthia, it's very nice to meet you- Lucas has told me so much about you."

"I know who you are!" Johana said as her shocked expression shifted back to Lucas, "Lucas, how in the world did you meet someone like _her_?"

He tilted his head. "Huh? We met at the pond down the road. Why? Do you two know each other or something?"

Cynthia's eyes lit up in amusement while Johanna let out a hardy laugh. "I thought _everyone_ knew who _she_ was! Please, do come in! It must be so drafty out there!"

"Thank you," Cynthia said with a nod, entering as Johanna held the door for her. Lucas, still confused, scratched his head before walking into the house as well.

"My, what is that wonderful smell?" Cynthia asked as her steely eyes drew toward the kitchen.

"Oh, that," Johanna answered with a small laugh, "I just put a stew on for dinner. You're more than welcome to join us if you'd like- there's plenty for everyone!"

Cynthia nodded at her. "That sounds lovely. Thank you very much."

"Oh no, the honor is all mine!" Johanna answered before quickly walking toward the kitchen, "Please, make yourself at home- Dawn! Please come downstairs right now! We have a guest!"

Cynthia shed her large overcoat and hung it on a nearby prong. As she did so Dawn came running down the stairs, still in her clothes from that day. She was roughly Lucas' height, with long blue hair that she tied into a braid around her head with yellow clips. She wore a white beanie cap with a pink pokeball pattern, along with a black and pink skirt with a white blouse. The only article missing from her usual outfit were the pink boots she usually wore, which were instead replaced with slippers similar to what her mother was wearing.

"What is it, mom? Who's-" She froze as she reached the last step, her mouth hanging open as Cynthia turned to smile at her.

"Why, hello there," the blonde greeted, "Dawn, is it? It's so nice to meet you!"

"C-Cy-Cy…" Dawn mumbled before her surprised expression lifted into a large grin, "You're Cynthia! The one and only Cynthia is in my house right now! Is this a dream?"

Cynthia waved her off with a giggle. "Your flattery is too much! Please, try to think of me as any other person. I'm the guest in _your_ house, after all!"

While Dawn continued to fawn over Cynthia, Lucas grew steadily more confused. Not only had Johanna known who she was, but Dawn too? What was going on here?

"How did you- I mean, why are you here?" Dawn asked as she excitedly ran over from the stairs.

"Lucas invited me over," Cynthia replied while her eyes shifted to the boy who was still scratching his head.

"Lucas, you know her?" Dawn asked in disbelief.

He tilted his head at the bluenette. "Yeah, we met today while she was on her way to the lake. Why is everyone so worked up about this?"

"I can't believe this," Dawn breathed, "You seriously don't know who she is?"

"I'm sorry Champion Cynthia, but dinner will still be a bit," Johanna apologized as she stepped out of the kitchen, rubbing her hands on her apron. "I hope that's alright."

While Cynthia ensured her that she was fine with waiting for as long as it took, Lucas' eyes widened. Had Johanna just called Cynthia a Champion? Champion of _what_?

"I can see those wheels turning in your head," Cynthia said as she turned and smiled at him, "I suppose you haven't quite figured it out yet, have you? Would you like to know who I am?"

Lucas nodded vigorously. He was tired of feeling left out.

Cyntha giggled quietly before her hands found rest on her hips. With a small smile and steely eyes she answered him.

"I, Cynthia, am the Pokemon Champion of the Sinnoh region's Elite Four."

His eyes widened even further. Suddenly it all made sense- her incredibly rare pokemon. Her powerful aura. Her question about whether or not he had a television- they were all clues to let him know who she was.

She was Sinnoh's most powerful trainer.

"No way," He breathed as he stared at her with unrestrained shock, "You're THAT Cynthia!?"

The three girls lit up with laughter before she bowed her head in his direction. "Indeed, I'm _that_ Cynthia. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, but it isn't often that I meet someone who doesn't recognize me. I thought it would be fun to be treated like a regular person for a while, and not as the leader of the Sinnoh Pokemon League. I hope you understand."

He nodded dumbly, an expression of pure astonishment still on his face. Her eyelids lowered at him before she again turned for Johanna.

"I don't suppose you have a shower I could use before dinner, do you? Lucas and I visited the lake today, you see."

"Say no more!" Johanna answered as she turned for the stairs and waved Cynthia after her, "I've also got a dryer if you need it. Let's see about getting you washed up and into some fresh clothes."

Cynthia thanked her before following her lead, leaving Lucas and Dawn alone together.

"You seriously didn't recognize her?" Dawn asked as she gave him a look that made him feel hopeless, "She's only one of the strongest pokemon trainers alive, you know."

"I knew that our Champion was named Cynthia, but I never would have thought it was _her_!" He answered, "How did _you_ recognize her so quickly?"

"Because she's just as famous for her looks as she is her battling!" Dawn shot back, "She's featured on magazines all the time and has turned down more modeling agencies than I can count. Not only that, but she even wore her signature outfit! Really, the better question is 'how could you _not_ recognize her?'"

A blush of embarrassment warmed his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his head. "Oh, man… I can already tell I'm not going to live this one down."

She shook her head and sighed. "That's the truth."

After a moment Johanna came back down the stairs. "Lucas, Dawn, I'd like the two of you to change into something more casual. The only clothes I had for our guest were some old pajamas, and I don't want her to feel out of place at dinner."

"Pajamas?" They asked in unison, "Does that mean..?"

"Yes, it does," She answered with a wink, "She just wanted some dinner before her trip home, but I insisted that she stay the night. Champion trainer or not, nobody should have to travel in the dark."

"Wow, I can't believe that Cynthia is staying at our house!" Dawn squealed, "Barry is going to explode when he finds out!"

Lucas chuckled. "He'll probably sue me for not telling him sooner."

"No, he'll sue you for not knowing who she was." Johanna shot back before putting a hand to her cheek with a sigh, "Really, Lucas, of all people I expected _you_ to know who our reigning Champion was! Though, if I'm honest I think that she enjoyed being treated like a regular person for a while."

"Yeah, that must be a rarity for someone like her!" Dawn agreed.

Lucas chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck. He was just glad that Cynthia didn't have an ego that would cause her to feel offended by his ignorance.

"Now get going, you two," Johanna said as she returned to the kitchen, "Get changed before she comes out. I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

With that the two teens made their way upstairs, parting at the top to head toward their respective rooms. Along his way Lucas passed the restroom that Cynthia was currently bathing in, and felt his face redden as he heard the water rushing from inside. He couldn't help but remember how she had looked in her bikini earlier that day, with smooth, fair skin that perfectly filled out her suit. He imagined the hot water tracing down that same skin and-

He suddenly raised his hands and lightly slapped his cheeks twice, trying and failing to clear the image from his mind.

* * *

"Wow, what a beautiful meal!" Cynthia exclaimed as she beamed at Johanna, "I hope you didn't throw this together just for me."

Johanna wiped her brow and smiled back at her guest. "Oh, it was no trouble at all! It's not every day that someone famous comes to our little town- let alone the Champion herself! This was the least I could do!"

Lucas stared in awe at the table. In addition to the stew that Johanna had mentioned earlier, there was also a whole loaf of freshly baked bread with a side of butter, a tray of homemade sandwiches, a rice and sushi platter, and even a pink cake. He hadn't the slightest idea how she could have pulled all of this together so quickly, though he assumed that a trip to the local grocery store was part of it.

"Well it all looks marvelous," The blonde replied while lightly clapping her hands together, "I can't wait to dig in!"

"Don't wait on my account! Please, help yourselves!"

With that as a go-ahead, the four bowed their hands and clapped their hands together, giving thanks for the food, before quickly making their plates. Lucas' eyes shifted to Cynthia as Johanna passed her a plate, the blonde smiling warmly as she began stacking an impressive amount of food onto the dish.

Just as Johanna had said, she now wore a light blue set of pajamas that consisted of a suede shirt and pants. She was also lent her own set of slippers, giving her a very casual and comfortable appearance. Her bountiful amounts of blonde hair were hardly tamed, tumbling down her beck in several directions- though her left eye was still covered despite the fact that she was no longer wearing the beadlike adornments that she was seen with earlier. The only part of her outfit that remained the same was the strange stone necklace that hung loosely around her neck.

He was shaken from his thoughts as Dawn suddenly pinched his right arm.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"It's impolite to stare," She answered with a knowing smirk.

He averted his eyes while rubbing the spot, his cheeks a light shade of pink.

Once everyone had made their plates and begun to dig in, Cynthia and Johanna began to talk in-depth about pokemon training and contests. There was also an extensive conversation about Lucas' trip to the lake, in which Cynthia vouched that he had indeed seen Mesprit. After a bit of excited chatter about their little adventure, Johanna was quick to change the subject by pointing out the wall of hanging newspaper clippings and photos of her when she was part of the contest scene. She had once been a fairly successful coordinator, who won many awards with the assistance of her beloved glameow.

"That's incredible," Cynthia said after a moment, wiping her mouth with her napkin politely. "I've always had respect for coordinators- it takes a lot of time and effort to come up with unique move combinations for your pokemon."

"I certainly does, but it's a labor of love." Johanna answered with a nostalgic smile, "I would show you my darling Glameow now if she weren't out of the house… During the day all she does is lounge about, but at night she can't sit still. I suppose that's fitting for a cat pokemon, though."

Her blue eyes shifted to her daughter, who had heard her mother's stories countless times and was currently more focused on her meal than the conversation.

"You know, my Dawn here wants to become a coordinator just like me. I told her that the first step is becoming a great pokemon trainer."

Cynthia nodded in agreement. "I think everyone could learn from going on a pokemon journey, no matter what their dream is. You form a powerful bond with your partners that way- you learn to rely on them, and they come to trust you."

Her steely eyes shifted to Dawn. "So, I take it you got your own starter pokemon today?"

The bluenette nodded her head before planting the side of her fist against her chest proudly. "Sure did! He's a cutie, too!"

"May I see him?"

"Sure thing!" Dawn said as she quickly hopped from her chair and hurried to the stairs, "I'll be right back!"

"Don't trip, dear!" Johanna called after her daughter before sighing, "She's so excited to finally have her own pokemon, I'm surprised she didn't show it to you right away."

While Cynthia giggled, Lucas lowered his head. He was still feeling down about not having his own partner yet, and couldn't be totally happy for everyone who did have one without being reminded that he would have to wait at least another year before it was his turn.

"Speaking of which, I heard that Lucas wasn't given his starter pokemon today." Cynthia said as she leaned back and took a long sip of her tea, speaking as though she had read his mind. "Even if egg yields were low this year, I would have thought that one of the younger children would be held back. It hardly seems fair for him to have to wait any longer than he has."

Johanna nodded in agreement. "That's what I said, but they insisted that it be a completely random drawing- my guess is so that no blame could be placed on anyone. It was inevitable that someone would be left out… If not Lucas, then some other child would be left heartbroken."

"It is unfortunate," Cynthia said in a low voice, "Lucas, how do _you_ feel about it?"

The teen's eyebrows furrowed in a conflicted expression. "I'm not sure… I was really excited to meet my partner, you know? I wouldn't want to take that experience away from anyone else, but at the same time… I feel really hurt that it wasn't me."

Johanna sighed. "Is that why you went to the pond again today?"

Lucas avoided their collective gaze. "Yeah, that was part of it… Also, I got into a fight today."

Johanna's eyes flickered between Lucas and Cynthia, but at seeing no trace of surprise in the Champion's expression, her eyes widened a bit.

"I wasn't going to say anything in front of our guest about it, but it would seem the two of you have already had this talk." Johanna said with a sad smile, "I'm sorry to hear that those three are still giving you trouble… If you'd like, I can go to school first thing tomorrow morning and talk with the teacher about it. If that doesn't work then I could take it straight to their mothers instead."

Before Lucas could answer, Cynthia set her tea back down on the table and leaned forward, her chin finding rest between the palms of her hands as her elbows propped them up.

"They'll still be at school tomorrow?" She asked, "I was under the impression that everyone began their journeys immediately after being given their first pokemon."

Johanna shook her head. "I'm sure that's how it works in most places, but not here. We're very tight-knit, you see, and want to make sure our children are the safest they can be when they head out into the world. That's why we wait until there's a large enough group before giving everyone their starter pokemon. Another thing we do to ensure that everyone's ready is to give them a week of lessons from a strictly pokemon-based curriculum. Of course, some children decide to shadow an established trainer for a few days instead, but a majority of the kids attend the school for a week before setting off."

Cynthia hummed. "What an interesting system. I can't say I've seen anything like it, but it's nice to see a community that cares so much for the safety of its youth."

Johanna grinned at her. "I'm glad you can understand where we're coming from. It's certainly unique, but us parents all feel just a little better knowing our little ones are properly outfitted for the outside world."

Cynthia nodded, then paused for a minute as she traced the outline of her tea glass with her fingertips. "May I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything at all!"

"Do you think it would be a problem for me to accompany Lucas and Dawn to school tomorrow?"

There was a moment of shocked silence, both from Lucas and Johanna, before the elder responded.

"N-No, I don't see how that would be an issue. Especially since it's _you_, Cynthia, but… Might I ask why? After all, someone like you must be terribly busy."

Cynthia's eyes closed as a smile played at the edges of her lips. "It would be my honor to sit in on a class full of aspiring trainers. Besides…"

Her eyes opened again, a spark in the one that wasn't concealed by her hair. "I wouldn't worry about those bullies, Johanna. You can leave them to me."

No one had the opportunity to ask her what she meant before Dawn ran back down the stairs, a pokeball clenched in her hand.

"Sorry that took me so long! In my rush I kinda knocked over a few things, and had to pick my room back up… But anyway, here's my partner, Turtwig! Come on out!"

As Dawn showed off her new partner to Cynthia, Lucas stared at the Champion in surprise. As if her coming to school with them wasn't crazy enough, she also implied that she was going to do something about his bullies.

Could this day get any weirder?

* * *

"Lucas. Lucas, wake up. Come on, don't make me pull the covers off you."

Lucas groaned and slowly opened his eyes to find a completely dark room. Standing above him was someone he didn't initially recognize- it was a tall blonde woman wearing all black, which made her even harder to see in the dusk of the room.

"It's time to get up. There's a lot to do."

Hearing her voice again caused the memories of the previous day to return to him. At realizing that the Sinnoh League Champion was asking something of him, he sat up in bed with a yawn and stretched.

Cynthia giggled. "Sleep well?"

"I was," He mumbled, rubbing his eyes before turning to look at the clock on his dresser. He could hardly believe his eyes when it read 5:00 AM.

"Uh, Cynthia..?" He asked, "Why are we up so early? School doesn't start for, like, three hours."

"I'm aware." She responded, her usual small smile on her face below two relaxed eyes.

"Is this punishment for you having to sleep on the couch or something?" He asked, "I offered for you to take my bed, you know."

She brought a hand to her mouth as she laughed again. "Yes, and that was very sweet of you. No, this isn't about last night's sleeping arrangements- and just so you know, the couch's pull-out mattress was very comfortable."

"Good to hear," He breathed with another stretch, "So if you aren't upset, then why did you wake me up so early?"

"You said you wanted to become a great pokemon trainer, right?" She asked as one of her hands found rest on her hip, "Getting there takes discipline. Get dressed and meet me outside, okay?"

"Okay..?" He responded as she exited the room and closed the door behind her. He was still highly confused- what did getting up before the break of dawn have to do with raising pokemon?

_Whatever_, he thought as stood from bed and scratched his back with another yawn, _If anyone knows what they're talking about, it's her. I may not see her ever again after today, so I should try to learn as much as possible while she's still around._

It took him but a moment to get ready, and once he had done so he looked himself over in the mirror. He wore his usual outfit, consisting of a blue jacket with black trim. Beneath it he wore a red button-up shirt and a white scarf, which almost perfectly matched his red cap. Black jeans and grey tennis shoes finished off the look. He smiled into his own deep grey eyes and nodded before running out of the room.

Cynthia was waiting outside as promised, idly smiling off at the distant trees in her usual outfit with the exception of her overcoat. Strangely enough her long blonde hair was pulled into a loose ponytail behind her head, though she allowed her bangs to remain so that they could cover one of her eyes.

Lucas pulled his jacket tighter to his body as he approached her. "Alright, I'm here. What now?"

"Now," She answered as she turned to face him, "We're going to go for a jog."

He deadpanned. "A jog? This early? When it's this cold?"

She giggled. "Well of course. Jogging is much more enjoyable in the cold than in the heat, you know. Unfortunately I don't have any of my running clothes with me, so we'll be exercising in our regular clothes today."

He fought for a moment to remind himself that she knew what she was doing, and that any guidance from her would be helpful in the long run… No matter how random and disciplinary it felt in the present.

"Alright, let's get going, then." He said, but she shook her head.

"First we stretch." She explained as she raised her hands high above her head before bending and touching her toes.

"O-Oh, right." He replied as he quickly copied her.

They did a multitude of different warm-ups while she talked. "Warming up is an important start to your day. If you jog without doing your stretches, you risk lowering the benefits or even getting injured."

Once they had finished, she turned for the road. "The goal is to do two laps around Lake Verity before coming back here. Sound good?"

His jaw dropped. "Two whole laps around the lake?"

She nodded with a carefree smile. "It's not as bad as it sounds. Come on- the sooner we get started, the sooner we can have breakfast."

With that she started to jog off at an impressive pace. Lucas shook his head, but quickly caught up to her.

"Cynthia? Can you remind me why we're doing this?" He asked between his timed breaths.

"Training is about much more than leveling up your pokemon," She explained as they exited the town and turned left on the path, "If you want your team to give their all, then you have to give your best as well. Improving your physical condition doesn't only show them that you're growing alongside them, but it has a lot of other relevant benefits. For example, it helps you travel farther distances in all different types of terrain, and keeps you from getting too tired during a battle."

"During a battle?" He echoed, "I thought that pokemon were the ones fighting. Why would the trainer get tired?"

She giggled at him as they jogged. "You'll understand when you get your first pokemon. I can't really explain it, but you're tied to them. When they get hurt, you sense it. When they're victorious, you share their pride. It's a surprisingly exhausting connection."

"Huh,"

The two jogged in silence for a while, Cynthia's steely eyes never wavering from the path in front of her. Lucas, however, often found himself looking over at her from the corner of his eye.

"Tell me something, Lucas," She began after a moment.

"Sure, what is it?"

"How would you go about battling when you're at a type disadvantage?"

"A type disadvantage? You mean like a water type versus a grass type?"

"Exactly, though for this exercise let's say it's your grass type versus someone else's fire type. What would you do?"

He hummed as his eyebrows furrowed. "I'm not sure. I guess I would focus on neutral moves, since it's unlikely that my grass type would have anything super-effective against a fire pokemon."

"That's a good start," She replied, "What else would you do?"

He thought for a long moment, but ultimately couldn't think of anything else. "I don't know. What would _you_ do, Cynthia?"

"Me?" She asked, "I'd look for the chink in the armor."

"Huh? What's that?"

"Every pokemon is good at certain things, while being not so great at others." She answered, "This balance means that no pokemon are perfect, even if they have a type advantage. Take for example my lucario- what can you tell me about a lucario's battle stats?"

His eyes fell to the path in front of him while he thought. "They're pretty fast, right? I've also heard that their attack stats are super high."

"That's all true," She replied, "So what about weaknesses? How would you go about fighting a lucario?"

"I think they have pretty low defense, if I remember right... That would have to be the flaw you were talking about, so I guess I would use a slower pokemon with higher defense. That way I could survive its first attack and strike back."

"Very good!" She said, "That's a very considerate strategy. Now, back to our hypothetical battle. Let's say you're using a turtwig and your opponent has a chimchar. Chimchar is kind of like lucario- it's fast and powerful. Turtwig, on the other hand, is built more for defense. How do you think your opponent would attack, and how could you counter?"

"I think they'd go straight for a fire attack, like Ember or Flame Wheel. If one of those attacks landed it would do a lot of damage… And an average turtwig would be too slow to evade those hits on its own."

"Right, but it's _not_ on its own," Cynthia replied with a sideways wink, "It has _you_. Remember, you're in the battle along with your pokemon. If you know that your opponent is going to use a fire attack, you can tell your turtwig to evade before the attack hits. Usually a random order like that requires trust, but if you sound confident enough then even a new pokemon is likely to listen."

"Oh, I get it…" He muttered as he thought through the scenario in his head.

"Alright, so you've evaded the first attack. What do you do now?"

"Now…" He paused to think before answering, "Now I guess I would use a defense-boosting attack like Withdraw. That way I'm maximizing my advantage over the opponent."

She hummed. "That's a good idea, but I think you're skipping a few steps there. Think harder about what your opponent would do after you evade their first attack."

Lucas thought about it for a moment. While it's true that they would likely be surprised that he read their move, that probably wouldn't be enough to deter them from using it again. After all, one super-effective hit could likely decide the battle.

"You're right, I didn't think about that…" He muttered, "They would probably use their fire attack a few times before trying something else."

"Mm hm. While that's happening it's absolutely vital that you give your pokemon clear, confident directions. Tell it what to look out for and where to evade. After your opponent has given up on a quick victory, then you can began bolstering your own defense."

"Right."

"What happens next?"

"Next… I guess they would give up on the fire attack and try using something quick, like a Scratch attack. Though at that point Turtwig's defense would be raised, so even if it got hit there wouldn't be too much damage. I could take my time using tackle to lower their health while defending against Scratches and dodging any fire attacks."

Her eye shifted to look at him, a smile on her slightly parted lips as she breathed in time with her footsteps. "I think you've just envisioned a victory."

He chuckled. "Thank you, but… Why are we talking about this now? And why with a turtwig and chimchar, of all pokemon?"

Her grey eyes shifted forward once again. "Call it a trainer's intuition."

The rest of their run was filled with more talk about training and battle strategy, with an emphasis on being in tune with your pokemon. Normally such a long trek would have seemed endless to Lucas, but Cynthia's company made the time go by incredibly fast. Even his tired legs and burning lungs were overshadowed by the interesting and informative things that she had to say.

Before long they returned, arriving at Johanna's porch just before the sun could fully rise over Twinleaf Town. As was usual, Johanna's glameow was waiting for someone to let it inside and perked up considerably when it saw Lucas and Cynthia approaching. It rubbed against Cynthia's legs while Lucas opened the door, the Champion giggling and bending down to scratch the pokemon's chin before following him inside.

"Ah, there you two are!" Johanna greeted as she walked out of the kitchen with a mug of coffee in her hands, "How was your little jog?"

"You knew about it?" Lucas asked as he removed his shoes, "Also, it definitely wasn't 'little'."

The bluenette nodded. "Last night Cynthia asked me if she could take you for an early morning workout. I tried to warn her about how difficult it is to get you out of bed… I certainly hope you didn't give her any trouble."

"Not at all," Cynthia answered with a smile, "Getting him awake was the hard part, but after that he did a great job keeping up with me."

"Oh, that's great to hear!" Johanna said with a beaming grin, "Would you care for some coffee, Cynthia?"

"No, thank you. Though I'd love a bottle of water, if you have one."

"Make that two, please." Lucas added as he was still catching his breath.

Johanna obliged, the pair immediately taking a long drink- though Cynthia was much more restrained and elegant in her refreshment than Lucas, who guzzled the whole bottle down in one go.

"How far did you two say you went this morning?" Johanna asked as she returned to the kitchen, "Two laps around the lake?"

The two nodded in unison, though Lucas let out a small groan and Cynthia giggled at him.

"I can tell it was a long haul for you, Lucas, but Cynthia- my, it doesn't look like you even broke a sweat!"

"It helps when you make a habit of it," She answered as she followed Johanna into the kitchen, "By the way, is there anything I can help with? You've cooked so much for me, I'd love to pay you back."

"My, aren't you such a dear! If you wouldn't mind handing me the flour from that cabinet- oh, and Lucas? Why don't you take a shower before breakfast? I'm sure your classmates would appreciate it."

While the two women disappeared into the kitchen he did a quick sniff test and recoiled at the result. A shower was definitely in order.

* * *

Lucas walked down the roads of his hometown, Cynthia on his right side and a chattering Dawn on his left. There was no end to the surprised gawks and excited talking that seemed to surround them no matter where they went, as the inhabitants of Twinleaf Town marveled at the Champion in their midst. Some of the more brash fans of hers even walked over to ask for autographs or a quick picture, which Cynthia consistently agreed to with a pleasant smile.

Normally these setbacks would have made Lucas and Dawn late for school, though Cynthia had encouraged them to leave early just in case something like this were to happen. It was a good thing she had, too, as it was taking them more than twice as long to reach the schoolhouse as it normally would. Finally, though, they arrived at their destination.

"Might I ask where your principal's office is?" Cynthia asked as they stepped into the building, smiling at the countless kids who were blatantly staring at her.

"Sure, it's right down the hall to your right." Dawn responded, to which Cynthia nodded before turning that way.

"I'll join you for class in a moment. Before I do so I'd like to meet your teacher and make sure that my participation is allowed." She winked at them before giving a small wave and beginning to walk away, "See you both soon."

"Participation?" Lucas echoed, "You mean, she's actually going to teach the class?"

Dawn squealed with excitement. "Wouldn't that be _wonderful_?"

He smiled inwardly as the two began making their way to their classroom.

_It sure would._

Before long they reached the classroom that all of the new trainers would be sharing for the next week. While this class would temporarily be dedicated to those who were beginning their journeys this year, Lucas was still allowed to sit in on their lessons. He wasn't sure if it was out of pity for him or just because it would be easier than sticking him in another class, but either way he wasn't complaining. After all, learning about pokemon was infinitely more interesting than any other subject the school could offer.

Lucas had just reached for the handle when the door suddenly flung open, a blonde blur colliding with him at an incredible speed. As Lucas fell backward from the impact and winced in pain, a nasally voice reprimanded him.

"Hey, watch where you're going! If you do that again I'm fining you for one million big ones!"

Lucas rubbed his head as he looked at the familiar form of his childhood friend, who had also fallen onto his rear after the collision. The teen had messy blonde hair above two wide orange eyes. The same orange was used in the striped pattern of his sweater, which was topped with a green scarf.

"What's the rush, Barry?" Lucas groaned as he stood and extended a hand to his fallen friend.

Barry grunted ambiguously before accepting the hand, and quickly began dusting himself off once he had been hoisted up.

"I have to spread the news!" He replied as he sporadically looked between Lucas and Dawn's faces, "Everyone has to know about this!"

"Know about what?" Dawn asked.

"The Champion!" He replied while practically running in place, "She's here! At the school! Everyone's talking about it- but just in case someone doesn't know, I have to pass it on!"

"I should have figured that it was about this," Lucas sighed, causing Barry to shoot him an amazed look.

"How are you not surprised by this!? It's an incredible event!"

"Well, we already knew about how Cynthia was coming to school," Dawn answered with a finger to her cheek, "After all, she came here with us this morning."

Barry's eyes widened even further. "She WHAT?"

Lucas winced again at his friend's booming voice. "Yeah, she stayed at Johanna's house last night and walked us to school this morning. She said something about participating in class later, whatever that means."

Steam practically shot from Barry's ears at hearing that news. "No way! The Champion of all of Sinnoh stayed at _your_ house last night!? How can something like that even happen!?"

"Barry, you might want to calm down a little…" Dawn said with an awkward chuckle, "I mean, people are starting to stare…"

"Okay, you want me to calm down? I will, but only if you tell me _everything_ that happened!"

"Fine, but let's talk about it at our seats, okay?" Lucas asked as he tugged on the strap of his backpack and nodded at the far corner of the room.

Barry agreed, so the three made their way to their usual seats near the back. A variety of different age groups filled the room, as this would be the Pokemon Ed class for the next week, though it wasn't much of a change for the three friends. After all, this had already been their main classroom before everyone was given their starter pokemon.

"Alright, spill it!" Barry demanded with his hands on his hips above a tapping foot.

"It's not all that exciting, really," Lucas admitted with a shrug, "I was at the pond when she just sort of… Showed up. She asked me for directions to Lake Verity, and-"

"The Champion asked _you_ for something!?"

"So anyway, I walked her there and she invited me to check out the cave-"

"You got to see the cave!?"

"And once we were there I kept hearing this weird voice. It turns out that it was Mesprit-"

"You met a legendary pokemon!?"

"After that we left- oh yeah, we were carried across the lake by her milotic-"

"her_ what!?_"

"And then she asked if I happened to have something to eat, so I invited her over for dinner-"

"A dinner with the Champion!?"

Lucas sighed. He knew that Barry was excitable, but this was almost too much.

"Anyway, she ended up staying the night and insisted on coming to school with us. that's pretty much how it went down."

Barry quickly crossed his arms, a large frown on his face. "So you've known the Champion for, like, half a day and you're only telling me _now_? Forget the million fine, I'm suing you for a billion! A trillion! Whatever comes next, I'm fining you for that too!"

"Aw come on, don't be too hard on him," Dawn interjected, "In his defense, he didn't even know who Cynthia was until after he brought her home."

Barry's anger turned into genuine disbelief before he sighed and shook his head. "That's Lucas for you. I guess I won't fine you, then… After all, your embarrassment has got to feel worse than any amount of debt."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean..?" Lucas half groaned.

"It means," A fourth voice answered, "That you're a hopeless wannabe that doesn't know anything about the profession of pokemon training."

The trio looked over to see three kids roughly their age. Dawn's eyes narrowed while Barry's frown deepened. Lucas reached up and rubbed the bruise on his cheek, the sight of their sneering faces reminding him of the beating he had taken yesterday.

"Really," the bully in the middle continued, "What kind of novice doesn't even recognize our own Champion? That's gotta be a whole new level of ignorance."

While the cronies at his side chuckled, Lucas grit his teeth.

"For your information," Dawn shot back with her fists at her sides, "Lucas is the whole reason that Cynthia is even here! That has to count for something!"

"Yeah, yeah," The head bully replied with an unamused expression, "I heard all about it from the loudmouth over there. Big deal."

"Yeah, so what if she brought the loser to school?" The teen at his side asked.

"She probably saw how hopeless he was and felt bad for him." The right one agreed.

The three began to chuckle at his expense, but were cut off as a warm feminine voice came from the front of the class.

"Much the opposite," It said, "I was intrigued by his earnest heart and genuine love for pokemon."

In an instant every eye in the class, bullies' or otherwise, turned from Lucas to face the front of the room. Standing in front of the chalkboard was their Pokemon Ed teacher, who stood beside a confident Cynthia. The blonde had her arms crossed as she looked at the class with a small smile.

An excited whispering filled the room at the sudden presence of the Champion, though it was quickly extinguished as their teacher cleared her throat loudly.

"Now then, students, let's take our seats." She instructed, to which the bullies begrudgingly turned away from their prey.

Once the class had settled in, she continued. "As you've already noticed, today is a very special day! That's because a surprise guest is going to be joining us- I'm sure no introduction is needed, but would you care to tell them a bit about yourself?"

Cynthia nodded at her before lowering one hand to her hip while the other hung casually by her side.

"My name is Cynthia, and I am the current Champion of Sinnoh's Pokemon League." She paused for a minute to allow the chattering to die down again before continuing, "Thank you for letting me join you all today. I hope I can be of use to you all before you begin your journeys."

"It's our pleasure!" The teacher answered for them, "Is there anything else you'd like to say before we get started?"

"Actually, there _is_ something I was curious about." She answered before her steely eyes shot toward the three teens who had been antagonizing Lucas a moment before. "You three. Please tell me, what qualities do you think a good pokemon trainer possesses?"

After exchanging surprised looks at being singled out, the three answered in turn.

"It's gotta be strength, right? After all, a weak trainer can't control powerful pokemon."

"Yeah, and you have to be smart too. An idiot wouldn't know the first thing about battling pokemon."

"I guess having money helps. That way you can support your pokemon with battle items."

Her eyes narrowed, though her smile didn't waver.

"Those are certainly interesting answers," She said, then turned her gaze to Lucas. "How about you? What do you think makes a good trainer?"

As every eye turned to once again watch him, Lucas flinched in surprise. "M-Me?"

She chuckled briefly. "Yes, you."

He looked down for a moment while he scratched the back of his head.

"Well… I think…" He raised his eyes to again meet her own. "I think you have to care about your pokemon, first and foremost. They're not just weapons, after all... They have personalities, ambitions, strengths and weaknesses- learning about those things will not only bring you closer to them, but will help you out in battle as well."

Cynthia nodded with a hum before turning back toward the bullies. "How do you feel about what he just said? Do you agree? Be honest."

They exchanged looks again before the one in the middle chuffed dismissively. "I don't think he knows what he's talking about at all. All that sappy crap is for hippies and Pokemon's Rights Activists."

"Yeah, a real trainer has to be the boss over his pokemon," Another one chimed in with a raised fist, "You have to show them who's boss to earn their respect!"

"Besides, Lucas doesn't even have his own pokemon, so how would _he_ know the first thing about raising them?" The third added on.

An ambiguous spark lit in Cynthia's exposed eye. "I see… Tell me, do you think that you all possess those qualities? Are you strong, smart, and rich?"

"Of course we are!" All three answered in unison.

"Except for the rich part," One muttered as an afterthought, "But once we start our journeys we'll be rolling in the cash from all the butt we kick!"

Her eyes narrowed again. "I see. You're all so confident… How would you like to test your mettle for the whole class to see?"

Their eyes immediately widened, while the rest of the class began to buzz with excitement again.

"Y-You mean, right now?" One of the trio asked.

"Mm hm." She answered before turning to their teacher, "Would that be alright?"

"So long as we proceed on the training ground outside, it shouldn't be an issue! Class, we're taking a little field trip!"

The elated cheers of the class carried them all the way to the training grounds outside. This area of the school really wasn't much to speak of- just a grass field behind the schoolhouse with a few rows of battlefields on them. Each field was indicated by a white rectangle in the grass with a small box on each end for the trainers to stand in. In the center of the rectangle was a line that divided the two sides, a pokeball design in the middle of it.

The students stood along the side of the field, hardly containing themselves as the three teens stood in one box with Cynthia standing in the other.

"This is nuts," Barry breathed as he stared at the battlefield with wide eyes, "They can't seriously think they'll beat the Champion, can they?"

"I don't know, but they certainly seemed confident earlier." Dawn thought aloud.

Lucas shook his head. "I don't think they're confident in their victory, but at this point it's too late to back out. They're too proud to back down in front of the whole class."

"Alright, here are the rules!" The teacher called from the other side of the field from the students, a flag in hand. "This will be a three-on-one battle! Each trainer will be allowed to use one pokemon each, and the match ends when one side's pokemon are immobilized! Do you understand?"

"Yes." Cynthia answered as a breeze caused her hair to sway behind her.

"Yeah, of course!" One of the teens called out.

The teacher nodded before raising her flag. "Alright then, let the battle begin!"

No sooner had the signal been given, Cynthia drew a pokeball from the inside of her coat and threw it onto the field. The class gasped in surprise and awe as a pokemon materialized from right in front of them. For most, it was the first time they had ever seen this pokemon.

Lucas, however, was already familiar with it.

Lucario let out a rattling growl as it flexed its muscles, its red eyes piercing its opponents despite its face being lowered. Even from where Lucas was watching, he could see the three flinch. Not that he could blame them, but it still brought a smile to his face.

"This is the part where you send out your own pokemon," Cynthia said coolly after a moment of silence had passed.

Her taunt seemed to break the stasis over her the three, who scrambled for their own pokeballs.

"Alright Chimchar, show 'em who's boss!"

"Come on out, Turtwig! We've got work to do!"

"Don't let me down, Piplup!"

Three more pokemon quickly materialized on the field facing Lucario. Lucas had already seen these starter pokemon before, but studied their appearances anyway.

Chimchar was the tallest of the three, though that wasn't saying much. It was a chimplike pokemon that was partially covered by orange fur, with a lighter stomach and face with red eyelids. A strong fire burned from its rear as it stared at Lucario with a curious expression.

Next was Turtwig, a pokemon that resembled a green tortoise. It had an earthy brown shell with yellow feet and a small sapling that protruded from the top of its head. The pokemon tilted its head at its adversary before looking back at its trainer uncertainly.

That left Piplup, a water type that looked like a small penguin. On its head was a feather pattern that resembled a dark blue hood, while its body was a lighter blue with two white button-like designs on its chest. Lucas couldn't help but admit that, even among its fellow starters, Piplup looked the cutest as it preened itself carelessly.

"Those are some lovely starter pokemon you've got there," Cynthia called across the ring, "If you'd like, you can make the first move."

"That's awfully bold of her," Barry muttered while stroking his chin in thought, "Even if Lucario is stronger than the others, she's still facing three pokemon at once."

"Yeah, she must have a lot of trust in her pokemon." Dawn agreed.

Lucas didn't say anything and instead watched carefully while running through possible scenarios in his mind. It was only when Cynthia's eye shifted to him and winked that he realized what was happening here- the three troublemakers didn't pose any threat whatsoever.

It wasn't a real battle at all… It was an attitude adjustment.

"Alright, Fury Swipes attack!"

"Use Tackle!"

"Peck, Piplup!"

The three starter pokemon nodded in recognition of their trainers' commands before rushing forward. The class held their breaths as they watched the three descend upon the unmoving lucario, until a single phrase broke the tension.

"Extreme Speed."

It happened before anyone could realize it. One moment, Lucario was standing calmly on its side of the ring. Then, with a flicker, it vanished.

The three would-be attackers skidded to a halt at seeing their target disappear, though they were helpless to do anything as the foxlike pokemon reappeared behind them. In one swift movement it grabbed all three and forced them to the ground, Chimchar and Piplup's heads in its hands while its knee pinned Turtwig to the dirt.

Every eye but Cynthia's widened as complete silence engulfed the area. After a moment of disbelief had passed, a flag was raised in the Champion's favor.

"T-The starters are unable to battle! Cynthia and Lucario win!"

The announcement seemed to snap the crowd out of their daze, the onlookers breaking into cheer as Lucario released its hold on its opponents and retuned to its trainer.

"Great job out there, as usual." Cynthia praised it while ruffling the fur on its head, causing it to emit a low growl of satisfaction before she returned it to its pokeball.

While all of this was happening, the three continued to stare in utter shock at the Champion.

"N-No way!" One of them exclaimed, "No pokemon can move that fast! It must have been a trick!"

"Yeah, totally!" Another agreed, "We definitely would have won that if you weren't using your overpowered pokemon!"

"Right! If you were using starters like us, then you wouldn't stand a chance!"

She smiled pleasantly at them. "Oh? Is that so?"

The three nodded vigorously. She hummed in response.

"How about a rematch, then? One where you fight against a pokemon that's your own level?"

"Not a problem!" One of them replied.

"Bring it on!" Another agreed.

"Alright then," She murmured, "Though _I_ won't be participating this round. Instead, your opponent will be…"

She scanned her eyes over the crowd of onlookers until they locked with Lucas'.

"Him." She finished with a point in his direction.

Lucas' eyes widened while the three teens burst into laughter from their box.

"_Him_?" One of them managed to get out, "You really do know how to pick 'em, lady!"

"Yeah, that wouldn't be a battle- it'd be a crime scene!"

"Besides, he doesn't even have his own pokemon! How are we supposed to fight that way?"

"That's simple," She answered with a close-eyed smile. "Dawn, would you be so kind as to lend Lucas your turtwig for a moment?"

"Y-Yeah, of course!" She answered, fishing out her pokeball before handing it to him.

Lucas froze as the ball met his palm. Once again everyone was watching him, and now he was supposed to have his first match in front of an entire class of people?

He shot a nervous glance at Cynthia, a look that read 'are you sure about this?'

Her smile grew microscopically. 'Absolutely.'

He gulped before slowly walking to Cynthia's battle box, clenching the ball tightly in his hand. His heartbeat pounded in his ears as the Champion stepped aside, allowing him to turn and face his bullies head-on.

"One condition," She suddenly called out, "Only one of you gets to battle Lucas. After all, 'he doesn't know the first thing about pokemon'- remember?"

The head bully flashed a nasty grin. "Leave it to me. He's using a turtwig, right? My chimchar will turn it to ash in no time at all."

As the other two backed away, retrieving their pokemon so that only Chimchar remained, Lucas' eyes widened again. He recalled what Cynthia had talked with him about at length during their jog this morning and shook his head in disbelief. Had she predicted this battle? Everything down to the participating pokemon were completely as she had said!

He shot a look at the woman who stood behind him. All she did in response was narrow her eye at him, even as her smile remained. It was a look of utter confidence in his abilities.

Taking a deep breath, he turned back toward the field and prepared to throw the pokeball.

"Turtwig!" He called out in a voice so strong that it even surprised him, "I choose you!"

With that he launched the ball, just as he had when he was skipping rocks yesterday. The capsule released Dawn's beloved partner before returning to his hand and shrinking into the size of a marble.

The grass type looked back at Lucas curiously, obviously sensing that he wasn't its trainer.

"Please, Turtwig," He began with a pleading smile, "Lend me your strength for this battle."

The pokemon stared into his eyes for a long moment before returning a determined smile and nodding.

"Turt!"

Cynthia hummed to herself, a finger covering her coy smile as she watched over Lucas' shoulder. Meanwhile, the crowd began to cheer wildly in anticipation for the next match.

"Give it your best, Lucas!" Dawn cried out, "And Turtwig, make sure he wins, okay?"

"Lucas!" Barry called with his hands cupped around his mouth, "If you lose this, I'm fining you one million big ones! You hear me!?"

Lucas chuckled and adjusted his cap with the tips of his forefinger and thumb. Despite still feeling nervous about his first battle, he had this sudden rush of excitement that he couldn't quite explain.

_And besides_, he thought, _even if it is my first match, it feels like I've already won. Cynthia said so herself._

"Whatever," His opponent said with a smirk, "It's in the bag. Chimchar, use Fl-"

"Dodge, Turtwig!"

"-ame Wheel!"

By the time Chimchar had rolled itself into a blazing wheel and charged toward its target, Turtwig had heard Lucas' order and hopped out of the way. Even though its reaction time was considerably slower than Chimchar's, countering the oncoming attack before it was even spoken gave the grass type plenty of time to evade.

"Hmph…" Lucas' opponent eyed him angrily for a second before a dangerous smile covered his face. "One more t-"

"Dodge again!"

"-ime!"

Once again Chimchar rolled itself at Turtwig, and once again it was too slow.

_Just like Cynthia said_, Lucas thought with a smile, _He'll probably try it one more time, and then..!_

"You coward!" His opponent yelled across the field, "Take it like a man! Chimchar!"

This time Chimchar didn't need to be told what to do, as it surrounded itself with fire and began to spin. Lucas' eyes widened- he had been thinking so much that he failed to read his opponent in time!

He eyed the oncoming attack in slow-motion. If Turtwig were to get hit with an attack like that it would be disastrous, and his window to act first had now closed. That meant…

_My only option is to dodge it perfectly!_ He thought with clenched fists, _Any misdirection could cost me the match, so I have to watch carefully… Find the chink in its armor…_

Chimchar finally began to charge at Turtwig, who remained planted in place while it awaited instruction. As the fiery wheel approached, the crowd murmured restlessly- though Lucas could hardly hear them. He was fully focused on the chimchar as it barreled forward in a crackling ball. The speed was incredible, but the angle was slightly off… Rather than coming head-on, it seemed its rush had misaligned its attack somewhat. Lucas' eyes widened.

"Turtwig, three o'clock! Dodge!"

Turtwig immediately listened, reassured by the confidence in Lucas' shout. Jumping partially at the oncoming chimchar and partially to its right, the turtwig narrowly avoided the brunt of the attack. As soon as Chimchar rocketed past, the turtle pokemon pivoted to face its opponent.

"Gah! You little..! Fine, let's try something else!"

That statement was the indicator that Lucas had been waiting for. Without wasting a second he called out his next order.

"Use Withdraw, Turtwig!"

Turtwig nodded and pulled its head back until it met its own shell, which shone in the morning sun's rays.

"Ha! You finally have a chance to attack and you don't even do any damage?" The bully taunted from his box, "You really _are_ a novice! Chimchar, Fury Swipes attack! Let's see 'em dodge _this_!"

Not needing as much time to prepare as it did with Flame Wheel, the orange chimp was on top of Turtwig in an instant. The crowd gasped as it unleashed a volley of scratches against the grass type's face before hopping away with a self-assured cry. Its trainer seemed to share in its confidence, planting his fists on his hips while he beamed at Lucas.

"See? You don't stand a-"

"Tackle attack!"

The bully's eyes widened just in time to see Turtwig ram into Chimchar, who was sent flying several feet before skidding to a stop. Its trainer growled, his eyes widening in fury.

"Don't just stand there! Use a Scratch attack!"

"Char!"

Chimchar rushed forward on all fours, ready to strike, but Lucas wasn't worried. After all, he had seen this coming.

"Meet it head-on with another Tackle, Turtwig!"

The turtle nodded before galloping toward its opponent. While Chimchar immediately swung its arms down, scratching Turtwig's face with both hands, Turtwig threw its head up and caught the fire type on the bottom of its chin. While Chimchar sprawled backward from the hit, a glint shone in Lucas' eyes. His opponent's pokemon was quickly growing tired, as it was struggling to stand back up. Turtwig, on the other hand, looked fit to fight despite having a few scratches and some slightly labored breathing. It seemed the strategy he had worked on with Cynthia was serving him well.

"We're not done yet! Chimchar, use another Flame Wheel!"

Lucas' eyes narrowed. Going back to fire attacks wasn't in the plan, but at this point it wasn't a matter of life-or-death anymore. He had already raised his defense once, but another couldn't hurt.

"Give me another Withdraw!"

Chimchar began spinning in place while Turtwig once again pulled into itself, the shimmer of its shell intensifying even further. This was it- the moment that his calculations would be tested. Could boosting a defensive pokemon's endurance allow it to stave off a super-effective hit?

Chimchar spun in place for a long moment, the flame that surrounded it growing larger and more intense with each passing second. Meanwhile, Turtwig's shell continued to harden. The class was watching in a moment of complete suspense, Dawn chewing on her fingernails while Barry's fists shook in front of him. The trio of teens watched with growing grins at seeing Chimchar's attack charge up. Meanwhile, Cynthia watched without letting her confident smile waver.

Finally, the moment of truth arrived. As Chimchar's flame hissed in a scorching orange ball, Turtwig's entire body began to faintly glow. With clenched fists, both trainers cried out in unison.

"_Charge_!"

Chimchar's wheel spun in place for a moment before kicking up scorched dirt and rocketing forward. Meanwhile, Turtwig sprinted toward the flames with its head lowered like a ram. The space between them quickly shrunk until they finally met head-on. Despite the intensity of their meeting, however, neither side gave in. Chimchar's flames leveled off against Turtwig as its feet dug into the earth. Their exertive cries filled the air, and then-

The ground shook as the air combusted in all directions. Surprised screaming filled the area as hot wind burst outward from the impact. As smoke filled the battlefield, its audience struggled to remain standing against the powerful energy that had resulted from the incredible explosion. Rocks and loose bits of soil rained upon the crowd as they squinted into the smoke, looking for any sign of the victor. Finally a stray breeze parted the black cloud, causing everyone's eyes to widen in utter shock.

In the center of the field, Chimchar lay unconscious beneath a turtwig who was still miraculously standing.

A flag raised in Lucas' favor. "Chimchar is unable to battle! The winners are Lucas and Turtwig!"

A cacophony of cheering filled the area as the rest of the class rushed toward the victor, who was still staring at the fallen chimchar in astonishment. His opponent fell to his knees, his mouth agape as his cronies looked on in disbelief.

It was only once the crowd had surrounded him that Lucas fully realized that he had won. As Dawn clung to his arm and jumped for joy, Barry was in the middle of launching a series of frantic questions- all of which were drowned out by the swarming excitement of the crowd. Lucas hardly noticed them, though. With wide eyes he turned to look at Cynthia, who watched him with her arms crossed.

She was beaming at him. It wasn't her usual smile consisting of an upturned lip- no, she was grinning ear to ear in pride, her eyes closed in joy.

Lucas felt his heart lurch as he saw that expression- it made him incredibly happy. It made him proud.

With a returned grin, he lifted a triumphant fist into the air. No matter what luck had decided for him the day prior, in that moment he _was_ a pokemon trainer.

And it was a feeling he never wanted to let go.

* * *

**I've come to the realization that Pokémon Platinum is my favorite video game of all time. The character designs, the plot, the music, the playability and post-game... It's just way too good. I seriously hope we get those Gen 4 remakes soon.**

**A huge shoutout to **_XDiamondX90_ **for your wonderful review on my last chapter! I'm so glad that you're enjoying my writing, and I hope that I can continue to win you over with how I portray these characters ;]**

**If you have a moment to spare, please leave me a review with your thoughts! I'd love to hear what you think of the story!**

**Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you next time!**

**-S/L**


	3. A Journey with Cynthia

**And the support continues to grow! Thank you all so much!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The rest of the day went by without much of note happing. Due to overwhelming pressure from the students, a majority of the day's class was spent on the battlefield outside, where the soon-to-be trainers sparred against each other while being given advice from Cynthia as well as the Pokemon Ed teacher. Even though Lucas couldn't compete, he enjoyed this change of pace. Cynthia was indiscriminate with her tips, even helping his previous bullies, who didn't so much as look at Lucas for the rest of the class. Their quiet and noticeably more humbled demeanors around the Champion were a testament to just how effective her attitude adjustment strategy from earlier was.

When the day- which had gone by remarkably faster than usual- had come to an end, Cynthia walked Lucas and Dawn home while politely waving at the inhabitants of Twinleaf as they traveled. It was once they met up with Johanna in the garden out front of the house that Cynthia said something that caused Lucas' heart to drop.

"I really can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me," She began as she smiled at Johanna before passing the look onto the two teens, "I've had a wonderful time here- who would have known that a visit to the local lake would have produced this much fun?"

Johanna's eyes saddened even as she smiled back. "Does this mean you'll be going now?"

Cynthia nodded. "I have to return to the Pokemon League and fulfil my pending obligations. Once I'm done with that I'll be submitting a notice for my temporary leave."

"Temporary leave?" Lucas and Dawn simultaneously asked.

She giggled and nodded again, smiling at them with closed eyes. "Yes, I'll be taking a short break from being the Champion. That is to say, I'll retain my title, but I won't be accepting challengers for a at least a little while. I have other matters to attend to at the moment."

When she said that last part her eyes swept to Lucas' own before she winked at him. He was unsure what the gesture meant, but couldn't bring himself to look for any hidden meanings behind her words at the moment. The very mention of her leaving saddened him, as he had hardly been apart from Cynthia's side since she had arrived. Not that it had been long, as she had only wandered into his world yesterday, but it had been an incredibly exciting and memorable day nonetheless. It seemed that adventure and knowledge followed her wherever she went, and he was going to seriously miss that.

"Well, I hope you keep safe during your travels- and hey, feel free to visit us any time!" Johanna replied, "I'll make dinner for you again whenever you'd like."

Cynthia brought a hand to her mouth as she chuckled. "Thank you. I'll certainly remember that."

"Yeah, seriously, come back whenever you feel like it!" Dawn agreed with her mom.

Cynthia nodded at her before turning to face Lucas. The teen was avoiding her eyes with a conflicted expression, rubbing his arm as he failed to find the right things to say. Luckily, it seemed he didn't have to look for them alone, as Cynthia stepped over and placed a hand on his shoulder. As he looked up at her with confused grey eyes, she smiled at him.

"It was very nice to meet you, Lucas." She said in a warm voice, "By far, the greatest pleasure of this trip has been getting to know you."

His eyes widened a bit before growing wet. As he avoided her gaze again, he sniffed.

"Yeah… You too, Cynthia. Thanks for everything."

She chuckled before patting his shoulder and turning away from the house. Reaching into her overcoat, she retrieved a pokeball and tossed it out over the street. Johanna's family and neighbors alike watched closely as it released one of the Champion's pokemon- a floating white creature that few of them had ever seen before. It had one red ear and one blue one, along with a pattern of triangles on its chest with the same color scheme. An overjoyed expression covered its face from between two wings that protruded from its sides.

"Wow, what's _that_ pokemon?" Dawn breathed with sparkling eyes.

"This is Togekiss," Cynthia answered as she walked over and ran her hand along its neck, "My traveling buddy."

"You mean, you had a flying pokemon this whole time?" Johanna asked in disbelief.

Cynthia hopped onto her pokemon's back before turning and winking at them. "I was going to tell you all sooner, but you insisted that I stay- and I'm glad that you did."

She looked down and patted Togekiss' neck twice, causing the pokemon to trill happily before it began to rise through the air. Everyone watched in awe as she rose high above Twinleaf- even Lucas, though he was struggling to watch his new friend go. He knew this moment would come sooner or later, but somehow still wasn't ready for it. He was going to miss her.

It was only once the togekiss had risen far above the trees that it turned to favor the northeast. Before taking off, however, its rider made one last proclamation.

"Thank you all so much for your hospitality," She called to the people below, "Think of this not as a goodbye, but as a 'see you again'. Keep well!"

With that the pokemon rocketed away at an impressive speed, leaving no trace that it or its trainer had ever been there.

"My, at that rate she'll arrive at the Pokemon League in no time at all," Johanna said as she looked into the sky with a hand shielding her eyes from the sun, "And here I was, worried about her journey."

"That's a Champion for you, mom." Dawn replied with a sigh, "I'm sure she has a pokemon for everything."

Johanna hummed before turning toward her adoptive son, who stared at the sky without saying anything. "Lucas? Are you going to be alright, kiddo?"

He finally lowered his eyes and gave her a smile to mask his disappointment. "Yeah, it's just… I think I'll miss her."

"I'm sure you aren't the only one," She answered with a chuckle before turning for the door, "Come on in, you two. I'll get dinner started soon."

Dawn quickly bounded up the stairs and made her way into the house, Lucas following a pace behind. When he reached the top step, however, he couldn't help but shoot one last glance up at the sky. She said that they'd see each other again, but when? Would he have to climb the steps of the Pokemon League himself before they would be reunited? With a sigh at the thought, he turned and followed Dawn inside.

* * *

Cynthia had implied that she would return someday, but nobody could have guessed that it would be so soon.

The next day passed with little excitement, as it seemed everything had returned to normal with the Champion's departure. There was an improvement, though, in the trio that had been giving Lucas trouble. Whether it was fear of a trainer who could defeat all three of them with a single move, or the humiliation that came from their loss against Lucas, they had taken to completely leaving him alone.

Although the day was spent learning about pokemon-related things that would normally interest him, he had trouble paying attention in class. All day he stared out of the classroom window, watching the clouds pass while thinking back on his chance meeting with Cynthia. She had somehow managed to fit more adventure and experience into twenty-four hours than he had known his whole life. It was as if she was a genie who answered his heart's wishes before vanishing completely.

Eventually the school day ended and Lucas walked home with a chattering Dawn and Barry, the latter splitting off from their group near Johanna's house. It was only when Dawn had opened the door to their home that her unrelenting talk about contests suddenly halted.

"Cynthia?" She asked.

Lucas' eyes widened before he quickly made his way inside, practically shoving Dawn out of his way as he did so. Sure enough, the Champion in question was sitting at their dinner table across from Johanna, both women sipping on a cup of tea with content smiles on their faces.

"Hey kiddos, welcome home!" Johanna greeted with a grin.

"It's nice to see you both again." Cynthia said with a nod in their direction.

"You're… Back!" He breathed as a grin came to his face, "Didn't you say you had things to do at the Pokemon League?"

"Indeed, I did," She answered before taking a sip of her tea, "And it's all been taken care of. This batch of challengers was certainly a tough bunch, but I've defended my position as Champion."

"Does this mean your notice has been approved?" Dawn asked as she removed her boots and donned her house slippers.

"Yes, thankfully. I'll have to make up for lost time when I return, but for the moment I'm free to see to my own affairs."

"That's great," Lucas replied, "But why are you back? I-I mean, not that it's a bad thing at all, I'm just… Surprised."

Cynthia chuckled and turned to face Johanna. "Would you like to tell him?"

"Absolutely," She replied before turning to face Lucas with an expectant smile. "Lucas, Cynthia would like you to accompany her to meet Professor Rowan in Sandgem Town."

"_Professor Rowan_?" He couldn't help but exclaim, "_The_ Professor Rowan? The head of pokemon intelligence in the entire Sinnoh region?"

Cynthia nodded. "The one and only."

He was shocked into silence for a moment before answering. "Of course I'll come, but… I guess what I want to know is 'why?'"

"Why?" The blonde echoed before finishing off her tea. Once she had done so she took her time in wiping her mouth with a napkin politely. Then she turned to him with her typical faint smile.

"Because we're going to make sure you get your own starter pokemon."

His eyes widened even further as Dawn playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Did you hear that? See? Everything works out in the end!"

"Well, let's not count our torchics before they hatch," Cynthia continued while stretching out in her chair comfortably, "After all, getting a starter will be difficult this year. Though, if anything, the Professor will be able to point us in the right direction."

"Are you serious..?" Lucas breathed as he stared at her, "You're really going to help me get my first pokemon? Why?"

"I'll tell you later, if you'd like." She answered with a wink, "But for now you should fill that backpack of yours with a change of clothes and whatever else you'll need to take care of yourself for a few days."

"A few days? Will it really take that long?"

"Maybe," She shrugged, "In any case it's better to be safer than sorry."

His eyes trailed from Cynthia to Johanna, who was clearly enjoying the expression of surprise and awe he was wearing. "Will it be okay to leave school for that long?"

She waved him off. "I've already talked with the principal as well as your teacher. They said that since you technically won't be beginning your journey this year, you can always make up the days you miss later on."

"You're so lucky, Lucas!" Dawn said with a large smile, "You get to meet Professor Rowan _and_ pick your starter with the Champion! If I wasn't so in love with my turtwig, I'd be pretty jealous right about now!"

The two women giggled before Johanna nodded at the stairs. "Go pack, sweetie. Cynthia wants to reach Sandgem Town before the sun sets."

Breaking out of his shock, Lucas nodded at them with a beaming smile. "Right!"

It didn't take him long to stuff his backpack with whatever he thought he might need- a few changes of clothes for different climates, as well as general personal hygiene products. When he had completely packed, everyone headed outside. The sun was beginning to approach the treetops as Cynthia once again sent out her togekiss.

"Be safe, sweetheart," Johanna said as she pulled Lucas into a hug, "And please keep me updated on where you are whenever you move to a new place, okay?"

"I will," He answered while hugging her back.

"Yeah, and have fun!" Dawn added on, "I want to hear all about it when you get back!"

He nodded at her once he had parted from Johanna, then turned to Cynthia.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he stays safe." She said while petting Togekiss' neck, "We'll be back in a few days with a new pokemon."

"Thank you again for doing this," Johanna said as she wiped some of the wetness from her eyes, "You really are too kind, Cynthia."

The champion shook her head, the adornments in her hair bouncing. "Really, it's nothing. I'm glad to be able to help."

With that she turned to Lucas. "Ready to go?"

He nodded confidently in response. She smiled, then hopped onto Togekiss' back with more fluidity and grace than he could ever hope to achieve. Once she was situated, she held her hand out for him to take. He ensured the straps of his backpack were tightened before reaching up and accepting her help. Before long the two were more or less comfortably positioned on the back of the pokemon, who seemed to have no problem with carrying both of them at once.

Lucas waved down at Johanna and Dawn, as well as a few of his neighbors, as they slowly climbed in elevation. To someone who had never flown in a plane before, let alone on the back of a pokemon, it was a surreal moment. Finally they reached their peak altitude and Togekiss began turning to the east.

"You might want to hold on to me." Cynthia said as she, too, wrapped her arms around the pokemon's neck.

Lucas' cheeks grew pink at hearing that, but he was more than willing to take her word for it. Being careful to avoid touching anything too intimate, he slowly wrapped his arms around her until his hands met over her abdomen. From this position he could feel the warmth of her skin through her clothes, and could smell the faint floral scent of her hair from where his head was resting against her upper back.

She hummed to herself while smiling back at him before facing forward. "Please take us to Sandgem Town."

Togekiss nodded before taking off at a remarkable speed. Lucas stared down in awe as his town was quickly replaced with the blurring form of treetops while they flew over forests and fields alike.

"Is this your first time flying?" She asked over the wind rushing past his ears.

He nodded his head against her shoulders.

"It's incredible, isn't it?"

"Yeah!" He answered, "Definitely beats walking!"

She giggled. "I think you'll learn to enjoy traveling by foot once you have pokemon accompanying you. In the meantime, let's make this a bit more comfortable, shall we? Togekiss, use Psychic if you'd please!"

The pokemon nodded before the cold rushing wind suddenly vanished. Lucas slowly lifted his head from Cynthia's back and looked around with amazed eyes.

"What just happened?"

"It's a little trick I picked up from some Gym Leaders in the Hoenn region. They told me that by using Psychic mid-flight, you can create a sort of bubble around the pokemon that protects you from the wind."

"That's so cool!"

She nodded, her grey eyes scanning the sky in front of her. "Every now and then we'll have to give Togekiss a break, but he's usually pretty good at maintaining the bubble for a while."

Lucas hummed and turned his head to the side, watching a flock of starley match their speed in amusement.

"You know, Lucas," Cynthia started after a moment, "You don't have to hold on to me while the bubble is up."

His eyes widened as a blush spread across his cheeks. He quickly let go of her and began rubbing the back of his head with an awkward chuckle.

"Sorry!"

She giggled before shaking her head. "I didn't mind, you know. You can hold on for as long as you'd like if it makes you feel better."

"N-No, I'm okay for now!"

"Suit yourself," She replied before changing the subject. "So, tell me how school went today."

"It was… Fine, I guess." He muttered, choosing to omit the fact that missing her made for a terribly long day.

"I see. Did those three bullies leave you alone?"

He nodded. "Actually, yeah. For the first time in a while they didn't say anything to Dawn, Barry, or I."

"I'm glad to hear that," She replied as her smile grew a bit, "Now then, let's talk before we meet with Rowan."

"About what?"

"About your starter pokemon, silly." She answered as she looked at him from the corner of her eye, "Have you decided on which one you want yet?"

He lowered his face as he thought about it for a moment. Picking your first pokemon was a big deal, as it often meant choosing a partner for life. Each of the three Sinnoh starters had their fair share of advantages, from a chimchar's speedy physical attacks to a turtwig's high defense- even piplup were naturally suited for powerful special attacks.

"No…" He answered in a low voice, "I'm having some trouble deciding."

"I see…" She replied, "It _is_ a very difficult decision… Well, then, let's try narrowing it down. How did you feel about battling with Turtwig yesterday?"

"Well, it was nice to know it could take a few hits," He thought aloud, "But it was almost too slow, even as I was reading my opponent's attacks. I think I'd want something a little faster, and with more variety in the types of attacks it can learn."

"That's a good start," she said after a moment, "Well, then, how about a chimchar? If you want speed, that's your best bet of the three. Not to mention, they learn fire as well as fighting attacks as they grow. Would you be interested in something like that?"

"Maybe," He admitted, "But I'm still not sure… It seemed like the chimchar I battled yesterday went down a little too easily. I mean, it was a hard-won battle and all, but it only took a few Tackles to defeat it."

"Good point. So then, what about a piplup? They're faster than turtwig and are more defensive than your average chimchar."

"That's true…" He said hollowly, "But in truth I like them all, you know? They're all such wonderful pokemon, and I don't want to somehow make the wrong choice."

Cynthia hummed. "Alright, then let's look at this from a different perspective. When you saw those three starters beside each other at the battle yesterday, which one caught your eye the most? A gut feeling can be a powerful indicator that the pokemon is a good fit for you."

Lucas thought back to when he had been observing the starters during their battle against Lucario. In truth they all looked great in their own ways, but he could distinctly remember having a stronger reaction to one of the pokemon in particular.

"Actually… Now that you mention it, I thought that piplup looked really cute."

"So a piplup would match your battle preferences, as well as your aesthetic ones." She concluded with a smile, "Why not go with that one?"

He thought about owning a piplup for a moment. Brushing its soft down, battling alongside it as it grew, raising it into a powerful empoleon that could ferry him across water like Cynthia's milotic had… Before he knew it, there was a big smile on his face.

"Yeah, I think I will! I'll go with Piplup, then!"

She turned her head so that one of her steely grey eyes was smiling at him from over her shoulder. "That's fantastic! Though… If you really want to go that route, I think I should warn you now."

"Warn me?" He echoed with a cocked eyebrow, "About what?"

"Well…" She began as turned forward again, "Piplup are known to be very proud. They don't always listen at first, and only grow more independent as they get further along in their evolutionary lines. It takes a very patient trainer to bring out the best in them."

What she said was a bit worrisome, for sure, but he still found himself shaking his head. "Then I'll just have to work twice as hard so that we can both learn to rely on each other."

Cynthia hummed, her growing smile unseen by him.

Before long they reached their destination and began to descend in the light of the sunset. Although Professor Rowan's lab was technically in Sandgem Town, it was far enough from the majority of human activity that it could be considered a countryside residence. The strange building was nestled into a hill beside a large windmill, and its back liked a huge stretch of fenced-in land.

"That windmill powers the whole lab," Cynthia explained as they descended, "And see that fence behind it? That's where the Professor and his Aides let the pokemon roam. He cares for many trainers' pokemon while they can't, so he alternates between keeping them in pokeballs and letting them have their time outside. It gives him a lot of opportunities to study all different kinds of pokemon behavior."

"Wow," Lucas breathed, "Hey, Cynthia? What's the Professor like?"

She chuckled to herself briefly. "He's… Unique. You'll see."

Once they had landed in front of the large building, Cynthia returned Togekiss to its pokeball and walked to the front door with Lucas beside her. They couldn't knock, however, before a flustered Aide in a messy lab coat hastily opened the door.

"C-Champion Cynthia!" He said while fidgeting, "To what do we owe this, um… T-This visit?"

She gave him a pleasant smile. "I'm here to see Professor Rowan. I have someone for him to meet."

At seeing her smile at him, the Aide's face turned a bright shade of pink. "Oh, o-of course! He's been expecting you, so let's, um… Proceed!"

She nodded as he turned to hold the door for them, allowing the pair to walk into the large building. While Cynthia walked straight through the main chamber, Lucas marveled at everything they passed. When they reached a bookshelf-lined desk at the end of the corridor, the Aide spoke up again.

"Please w-wait here… I'll go and, um… Fetch the Professor for you..!"

Cynthia thanked him while Lucas wandered around the side of the desk to marvel at the large window behind it. Through the glass he could see part of the fenced-in habitat behind the building. There was a field, a stretch of forest, a large pond with a waterfall, and even some cliffs in the distance. This variety in environments wasn't what interested him, though. Instead he was staring in awe at the many different kinds of pokemon that inhabited it.

A rapidash and ponyta galloped through the vibrant grass of the field before slowing to a stop and looking around with large black eyes. Behind them a chansey marched by happily, a troupe of mime jr. following with identical movements. Starly and staravia circled overhead in small flocks, while hoothoot could be seen resting in the trees at the field's edge. Pink and blue shellos mingled with one another near the pond, in which remoraid and magikarp could occasionally be seen surfacing before diving back into the clear water.

It was a paradise in which all different pokemon could get along harmoniously.

"It's a wonderful sight, isn't it?" Cynthia asked as she walked to Lucas' side and joined him in taking in the view.

"Yeah, it really is." He answered without taking his eyes off the sanctuary before him.

"And those," A deep, gravely voice began, "Aren't even the tip of the iceberg, so to speak."

Lucas and Cynthia turned to see an older gentleman facing them from the other side of the desk. He had unkempt white hair that fused seamlessly into a pair of shaggy sideburns and mustache. Above his stern eyes were bushy eyebrows of the same color. He wore a navy blue button-up vest above his white dress shirt and grey tie, a long grey overcoat topping them off. The look was completed with his dark slacks and grey dress shoes.

From the professor's side, the Aide from earlier began wringing his hands together. "I've f-fetched the Professor, as I, um… S-Said I would."

"Indeed." Rowan said as his unrelenting gaze shifted to the man, "You may return to your research now."

The Aide nodded and bowed at Cynthia before hastily rushing to some other part of the lab. Once he had done so, the Professor grunted and straightened his tie.

"It is good to see you again, Cynthia. I hope you've been keeping well."

"I have," She answered with a nod, "I hope the same for you, Professor. How have my pokemon been lately?"

"They've been tremendous. I've kept countless trainers' pokemon here, and yet yours are almost on an entirely different level. You've trained them well."

She chuckled. "Thank you, that's very good to hear."

"Now, then…" He continued as he crossed over and sat in the desk's chair, turning in place to face his visitors. "Who is this boy you've brought with you today?"

"This," She replied while placing a hand on her company's shoulder, "Is Lucas."

"Lucas…" The elder echoed as his unwavering gaze met the teen's, "It's nice to meet you. As you've likely deduced, I am Professor Rowan. This is my lab."

An encouraging pat from Cynthia broke Lucas' silence. "O-Oh yeah, I thought so. It's a really nice place."

The Professor grunted. "A lot of work goes into keeping things efficient and organized around here. It isn't often that I get to 'show it off', so to speak. To what do I owe your presence?"

"Oh, that…" He replied while rubbing his arm sheepishly, "Well, you see, I'm from Twinleaf Town."

"That quaint village on the outskirts of Lake Verity?" He asked, "It's a lovely place. What of it?"

"It's just that… This year, we were given our starter pokemon. Unfortunately there weren't enough for everyone, and… Well, I didn't get one."

The Professor hummed in his deep voice. "I see. It _has_ been a tumultuous year for breeders, what with the changes in climate patterns and such. I'm very sorry to hear that you weren't given one- but, to put it bluntly, that's out of my control. I cannot help you."

The hope that had been soaring in Lucas' chest ever since Cynthia returned quickly diminished.

"Oh…"

The Champion watched his shoulders slump without her usual smile. After a moment she slowly removed her hand from his shoulder and walked up to the desk before leaning on it and looking down at Rowan.

"Come now, Professor. We both know that's not true."

As Lucas looked at her with a confused expression, the Professor let out an annoyed sigh.

"I can see where this is going, Cynthia, and I don't like it. Not one bit."

"Can't you make an exception just this once?" She asked as her small smile returned below two confident grey eyes, "It's for a good cause, you know."

The Professor leaned back in his chair with a long exhale through his nose. "This is dangerous. You know that."

"What's dangerous?" Lucas asked, "What's going on?"

"While it's true that breeders supply the starter pokemon for the Sinnoh region," Cynthia explained, "Those species exist naturally as well. Very few people know where to find them, but it is entirely possible to catch them in their native habitat."

"Very few people know where to find them, indeed. And that is for a very good reason." The Professor shot back, "These pokemon are critically endangered in the wild, and with such high demand to possess their strength, it was decided that the only way to preserve their numbers was to protect them. That is why going to catch them is incredibly reckless as well as selfish. If someone were to tell the world where to find them, they could go extinct in the wild within years."

While Lucas' eyes widened at hearing that, Cynthia didn't budge.

"You know we wouldn't tell anyone, nor would I let anyone follow us there. We'll go in, catch exactly one starter pokemon, then never go back again. That I can promise you."

The professor grunted again, staring into Cynthia's eyes for a long moment before he replied. "Tell me, why is it so imperative that this boy get his starter pokemon this year? What reason do I possibly have to take the incredible risk of telling you where to find starter pokemon in the wild?"

"The reason," She replied before walking back to Lucas and again placing her hand on his shoulder, "Is that this boy is going to complete your pokedex."

Lucas' eyes widened while Rowan carefully examined the teen. "That's quite the claim, Cynthia. What makes you think someone like him could rise to meet such a monumental task?"

Her hand found rest on her hip while the other hung at her side. "Within an hour of meeting Lucas, we had an encounter with Mesprit."

"The spirit of the lake?" He asked.

Cynthia nodded. "He also displays a passion for pokemon that I've very rarely seen, even among the world's top trainers. Pokemon trust him easily, and he earnestly cares for them. That sort of spirit sounds familiar, doesn't it?"

The Professor finally averted his eyes while he scratched his chin in thought. "Even if you say those things…"

"You made a mistake in not giving this child his starter," She continued, "Random drawing or not, he doesn't deserve to have his adventure postponed. Not to mention, the sooner he begins, the sooner you can collect data for your research."

The Professor sighed again before turning to look at her. "I understand what you're saying, but why does it have to be a starter pokemon? Couldn't you catch something less threatened? Or even talk to your friend Riley about getting the boy a riolu egg?"

She shook her head. "Lucas wants a piplup, and that's what I intend on getting him. You don't have to disclose any of the other starter locations if you don't want, but please at least tell us where we can find wild piplup."

A long staring match ensued between the two, and Lucas couldn't help but feel anxious as the tense moment stretched on for an uncomfortable duration. Finally, though, Rowan broke the silence.

"Are you sure about this, Cynthia? About this child?"

She nodded without hesitation. "Have I ever misled you?"

He shook his head. "No, you haven't. Still, I wish you weren't so adamant about things like this… Ever since you were a little girl you've been this way."

She giggled. "Does this mean you'll cooperate with us?"

He sighed again. "I suppose it does. Very well, I'll give you the coordinates to an established colony- but only to you, and no one else."

"Of course," She answered with a close-eyed smile before turning toward Lucas, "Please call Johanna. Let her know that we're off to Snowpoint City."

Professor Rowan grunted. "I see you've already got a vague understanding of where the habitat is. I should have expected as much from you… Lucas, feel free to use the video phone down the hall and to the right."

"Snowpoint City?" The teen asked in disbelief, "Isn't that all the way across the region?"

"It is," She answered with a carefree smile, "So the sooner we get going, the better."

He stared at her for a moment more before breaking into an excited grin. "Right!"

The phone call with Johanna and Dawn had been brief, as they had congratulated him on choosing a starter and wished him luck in finding one. Of course they also fretted over him, making him promise that he would keep warm and stay close to Cynthia. With that they said goodbye, and Professor Rowan walked the pair to the front of his lab once again. Once there they walked into the evening air, the dying rays of the sun casting the world in shades of orange.

"Lucas," He began as his heavy gaze fell upon the teen, "I'm confident that you'll find a wonderful piplup to raise. With that said, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Sure, anything!" Lucas answered.

The professor grunted before reaching into his coat pocket and retrieving a strange red device. The object was thin and rectangular, with one round end and one flat. Rowan held it out for Lucas to take.

"Click the black button on the end there."

Lucas nodded and did as he was instructed, causing it flip to open. The inside had two screens- one on the bottom of its interface and one at the top part that had lifted. A few buttons lined one side of the bottom screen, along with a small black wheel. The top held only a screen and speaker.

"This," Rowan continued, "Is a pokedex- a virtual encyclopedia that us pokemon professors have been working on for many years. It is the culmination of our hard work and research. Within its database you will find information on hundreds of pokemon. Now… It is yours."

"Wow," Lucas breathed as he scrolled down an extensive list of pokemon names with the wheel, "This is amazing! Why would you give me something so incredible?"

"To aid you in your journey," The Professor answered, "And also in the hopes that you'll assist us in filling the pokedex's pages. You see, we lack information on many rare pokemon, and also on pokemon that may or may not exist at all. You've met Mesprit, correct?"

Lucas lifted his eyes from the screens and nodded at Rowan.

The Professor's hand slipped into his coat pocket. "That is no small feat, boy. Mesprit is one of the pokemon that many believe to be mere myth. I, myself, have visited Lake Verity and its cave countless times, and yet I have been unable to find any trace of the Being of Emotion. _You_, however, managed to meet it during your first visit. Perhaps the legendary pokemon can sense something within you… Something unique. All I ask is that, if you were to someday meet another pokemon like Mesprit, you would take a picture of it with the pokedex and input whatever information you can gather. Will you do that for me?"

Lucas gave the Professor a determined smile and nodded. "Absolutely. You can count on me!"

Cynthia smiled at the teen while Rowan's eyes lightened a bit. "Wonderful. Please feel free to call me whenever you'd like if you have questions or information. I'd also like to keep an eye on your progress as a trainer, as it seems Cynthia has high hopes for you."

Lucas looked toward the Champion in surprise, but she merely gave him a close-eyed smile before turning back toward the Professor.

"Thank you for your help." She said with sincerity behind her relaxed grey eyes.

"Yeah, thanks so much!" Lucas agreed while bowing his head.

Rowan hummed again before turning for the door to his lab. "Now get going, you two. You'll have to hurry if you want to reach Snowpoint City before tomorrow morning. Keep safe in your travels."

Cynthia nodded at him as he disappeared into his lab before turning to Lucas. "Now then, shall we get going?"

He gave her an excited nod, and so she called Togekiss out again and they got situated. Within a moment they were soaring through the sky once more, heading almost due north.

"So? What are your thoughts on the Professor?" Cynthia asked once the Psychic bubble had once again surrounded them.

"He was kind of scary at first," Lucas admitted, "But I think he's actually a really nice guy. Thank you for letting me meet him."

"Don't mention it," She replied with a chuckle, "More importantly, this will be your first trip to northern Sinnoh, right?"

"Yeah, I didn't get the chance to leave Twinleaf often," He answered as he watched the changes in terrain below them, "There was one time that Johanna took Dawn and I to a big pokemon contest in Hearthome City, and we went to Jubilife sometimes for festivals and stuff."

"Sounds like fun," She replied, "This is sure to be different from anything you've ever experienced before, though."

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Well, for one thing, the temperature is below freezing year-round near Snowpoint City. Because of that, it's always covered in deep snow… Even the city streets can be a bit slick, so mind your step."

"I gotcha. What else should I know?"

"Well, the exact location of the wild piplup is actually even further north than the city. It's to the northwest, to be exact- a few miles past Lake Acuity."

"Lake Acuity?" He repeated, "Isn't that where Uxie lives?"

Her steely eye smiled at him from over her shoulder. "It is."

Lucas briefly recalled what Mesprit had said when Cynthia asked it about Sendoff Spring. It had said that Uxie would be the one to go to if she wanted to know more.

"Are we going to try talking to Uxie while we're there?" He asked, connecting the dots.

"If you're okay with that, then yes. I'd really like to." She answered as she turned away from him again, "If not, then I'll come back on my own some other time."

Lucas' eyes lowered with thought. Cynthia seemed really set on learning more about Sendoff Spring, and the reason why wasn't a mystery.

_She said that her parents went missing near there… It only makes sense that she wants to know more about it. If she knows enough, then she might be able to see them again. I would do the same thing in her shoes._

If his hunch was correct, then this must have meant a lot to her. After all she had done for him, it was only natural that he wanted to help her too… No, even if she hadn't helped him out, he would still want to go. After all, it meant spending more time with her.

"I'd love to go!"

She smiled. "Alright, then we'll go to the lake after you catch a piplup. For now, though, I'm going to give Togekiss a break from using its Psychic. Hold on tight."

"Right!"

Several hours passed while Lucas and Cynthia talked about a multitude of subjects. The whole while Lucas watched in amazement as Sinnoh's landscape changed beneath them. From the towering buildings of Jubilife City to the colorful meadows of Floaroma Town, over the dense Eterna Forest and through the winding canyons on the west end of Mt. Coronet. Eventually the night air turned bitterly cold, and Lucas found himself holding on to Cynthia for a reason other than safety. After hours passed with nothing but white beneath them, Lucas began to doze off- the silence of the night and the softness of her hair lulling him into comfort.

As he began to snore lightly from behind her, Cynthia giggled to herself. She had forgotten how much fun it was to travel with other people.

Eventually the lights of Snowpoint City shone in the distance, and soon after Togekiss began to descend in front of a local hotel. Once they landed Cynthia placed a hand over Lucas', which had fallen into her lap while he slept, and she ran her fingertips over his skin.

"Lucas, wake up. We're here."

His eyes fluttered open before he sniffed and groggily lifted his head from her back. Looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings for a long moment, he slowly remembered their journey and gasped.

"I'm so sorry! Was I sleeping on you?"

She giggled. "Like a baby."

His face went red before he looked down. Luckily he hadn't drooled on her in his slumber, which came as a great relief. He likely would have died from embarrassment if that had happened.

"There's no need to apologize, by the way." She continued as she hopped off Togekiss' back and gave it a grateful pet, "You must be tired after today. Besides, it was kind of cute."

"O-Oh! Is that so?" He stuttered as he stumbled off Togekiss' back.

She brought a hand to her mouth as she giggled again. "It was. Now come on, let's get a room."

"Right…"

Cynthia thanked her pokemon before returning it to its pokeball, then turned for the front door of the modest building in front of them. Once inside they crossed to the front desk, the receptionist lifting her tired eyes from over the magazine she was reading.

"How can I help you?" She asked in a bored, gravelly voice.

"We would like a room," Cynthia answered, "Two beds, if possible."

The receptionist shook her head. "I'm sorry, but we're fresh out of those rooms. All we've got left is one single bed suite."

Lucas' eyes widened while Cynthia sighed and turned to him. "That's unfortunate… I chose this inn because it's closest to our destination, but we can go somewhere else if you'd like."

He frantically shook his head. "N-No, it's alright! We can stay here! I mean, we're already here and like you said it's the closest, so there's really no reason to go somewhere else."

She giggled before turning back for the desk. "Then we'll take the room after all. Thank you."

Cynthia paid for the night, then they made their way to the room. It was… Quaint, in a word. One TV, one bathroom, and as mentioned earlier, one incredibly small bed. It did have a decent view though, as the room was on the second floor and its window faced the lit streets below.

As they entered, Cynthia took a look around before shrugging to herself. "Oh well, I guess you get what you pay for after all."

"Yeah…"

While Lucas was still staring at the sad excuse for a bed, Cynthia shed her black overcoat and hung it on a prong on the wall. Lucas was amazed when she reached into it and pulled out an overnight bag full of clothes.

He deadpanned. "You could fit all of that in _there_? I noticed you pull your pokeballs from your coat, too... Do you keep everything you need under there?"

She paused in her rifling through the bag to wink at him. "Of course. It's not just big for the sake of fashion, you know."

After a moment she fished a pair of pajamas out of her bag, a sleeveless teal green top and baggy grey sweats. She also pulled out a few comically large bottles of what he guessed were shampoo and conditioner.

"Would you like to shower first?" She asked.

He shook his head from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed. "I took one this morning, so…"

She hummed. "Well then, I'll take one now. Feel free to get some sleep in the meantime! You'll need all the rest you can get for tomorrow."

He nodded as she disappeared into the bathroom, but as the water began to run, he doubted he could get a wink of sleep. The idea of her bathing form was just too much for his overactive imagination to take. Instead he changed into his own pair of sweats and a black Sinnoh League tee, hanging his hat on the prong beside Cynthia's coat before he flopped down onto the bed.

At first he began to scroll through the entries in his pokedex to divert his attention from the beauty who showered in the next room, though before long he was completely sucked into the information that the device possessed. It was clear that Rowan wasn't exaggerating when he said that years of research had gone into this… For each pokemon species it had pictures, averages for height and weight, a sample of the sounds they made, well-written information on their physiology and habits, and even a map that lit up with the areas where they could be found in the wild. Out of curiosity he looked up piplup and searched for its habitat, but all that popped up on the screen was a large 'Habitat Unknown'. He sighed- he really didn't know what he had been expecting.

"Read anything interesting?"

Cynthia's sudden voice pulled him from his thoughts, and he quickly looked over to see her in the pajamas she had picked out earlier. Her form fit into the top perfectly, though the sweats were loose enough that his adolescent mind wasn't given any further ammunition. She was currently removing a towel from her hair, which was surprisingly dry given how much of it there was.

"I know what you're thinking," She began as she crossed to her bag and began rifling through it again, "And the answer is simple: I use two towels to dry off."

"Oh…"

She pulled a brush from her bag and began to run it through her hair as she smiled over at him. "Couldn't fall asleep, huh? Are you that excited for tomorrow?"

He nodded with an inward sigh. It was true that he was excited about meeting his starter pokemon, but his mind was also kept awake by other thoughts- thoughts that she was directly causing.

"I can't blame you," She began as her eyes rose with thought, "I remember getting my first pokemon… It's a very exciting time for any trainer."

"Yeah, it is." He agreed, "I've been dreaming of having my own pokemon for as long as I can remember… The thought of finally getting one is so unreal to me."

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Thank you so much for… You know, helping to make my dreams a reality."

She hummed before finishing her brushing and returning the object to its bag. "You can thank me by giving it your all as a trainer. I want to see your devotion and love for pokemon drive you forward, until one day you and your team are facing me at the end of the Elite Four."

She turned so that a relaxed grey eye was looking through him, a smile playing at the edges of her lips. "That will be more than enough of a reward for me."

He stared at her for a long moment before putting on a determined smile and nodding his head. "Alright, I'll do my best!"

"I know you will," She said as she crossed to the light switch, "But before any of that we need to find the perfect starter pokemon for you. It'll be a hard day tomorrow, make no mistake about it. You'll need your rest."

With that she flipped off the light, the dark room only being Illuminated through the slants in the window's blinds. Lucas watched her cross to the other side of the bed in the soft light of the streetlamps outside before she pulled the covers open and slipped under. Once she had done so she turned toward him and giggled.

"Aren't you going to get under the covers with me?"

He hoped she couldn't see the blush that he felt creeping across his face at hearing that. "Y-Yeah, I guess so…"

Once he had joined her under the comforter he noticed how warm it was with her there. He had never shared a bed with someone before, so it was a pleasant surprise to find her body heat joining his own to warm them both. It helped that the bed was pretty small, though that introduced its own set of problems. Lucas practically hung off his side of the bed, desperately trying not to touch the Champion.

She must have noticed this, however, as she chuckled quietly before reaching out and wrapping her arms around him. Before he knew it he was pulled completely onto the bed, his face mere inches from her own.

"That's better," She said as her relaxed eyes smiled into his own through the dark, "If you haven't picked up on it yet, I don't mind you being close to me. Don't feel like you have to sacrifice your own comfort for the sake of my personal space, okay?"

He stared dumbly at her as she removed her arms from around him. "O-Okay…"

She hummed with a close-eyed smile before turning to face the other direction. He watched her snake her hands under her pillow to prop her head up.

"Goodnight, Lucas."

He swallowed hard, then scooted just a bit closer to her before nestling into his own pillow.

"Goodnight, Cynthia."

After that the room fell silent. Lucas could have sworn that he wouldn't catch a wink of sleep that night, given who was currently sleeping mere inches away from him, but he was wrong. Between the faint floral scent of her hair, the warmth that they shared, and the eventual sounds of her rhythmic breathing, he quickly drifted off into an icy world inhabited by hundreds of adorable piplup-

A blonde beauty in all black standing at his side.

* * *

**Will Lucas find the perfect piplup? Will Uxie appear like Mesprit did? If so, will Cynthia get the answers she seeks? Stay tuned for the answers to these questions, along with heaping amounts of romantic fluff!**

**So, it would seem that a few familiar faces are reading this story! To all of you who came over from Another Side, thank you so much! I hope you're enjoying this new fic- you have no idea how nice it is to know I have readers who will check out whatever I produce. You rock, each and every one of you ;]**

**For those of you who are new to my writing, I do this thing where I shout out whoever reviewed my last chapter in the next. It's a fun way to express my gratitude for your input and give back a little. With that said, let's give a massive thanks to those of you who reviewed chapter 2! Thanks to **_TheHiddenLettuce, Dragonfang20, Naruto is Jesus 666, XDiamondX90, RabidPanzer_, **and **_Crimson An'Xileel _**for your awesome feedback! It's much appreciated!**

**Please review this chapter if you have the time! I don't get paid to write fanfiction, but a review is just as good as money to us writers ;]**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-S/L**


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